Sindh is the second largest province of Pakistan on the basis of population and also its contribution to agricultural progress of country. Total area of Sindh is 14.09 million hectare. Total cultivated area of Sindh is 5.76 million hectare and culturable waste is 1.37 million hectare. Sindh grows a variety of field and horticultural crops.
Wheat, Cotton, Rice and Sugarcane are major field crops which contribute 70% of the total cropped area. Mango, Banana, Chillies, Dates, Guava and onion are the major horticultural crops. Besides promotion of Sunflower, Soyabean is also in progress. Sindh produces 32% of Rice, 24% of the Sugarcane, 12% of the Cotton and 21% of the Wheat in the country.
POTENTIAL AREAS FOR INVESTMENT
Horticulture
- Horticulture generally includes fruits, vegetables, condiments and floriculture. Sindh can play a major role in fruits, vegetables and floriculture due to its favourable climate and round the year availability due to its semi tropical to tropical climate.
- Sindh horticulture contributes more than 70% banana, about 40% dates, 40% onion, more than 80% red chillies and 30% mango in country production. There is tremendous potential in Sindh to produce huge quantity of fruits and vegetables provided that proper attention is given to these commodities.
Investment In Mango
- Picking and harvesting apparatus industry.
- Contractual mango production for export with fruit processing facilities.
- Cool-chain, refrigerated containers.
- Hot water treatment, storage, ethylene ripening, grading equipment.
Investment In Dates
- Dates dryers
- Dates processing plant
- Dates packing & storage
- Dates tissue culture
Investment In Onion
- Hybrid seed production.
- Onion processing, dehydration
Investment In Chilies
- Chilies drying.
- Chilies powder, packing.
- Green Chilies processing & packing.
Investment In Tomato
- Production of tomato paste.
Seed Production
- Good seed of improved varieties is one of the most important agriculture inputs for obtaining increased crop production and giving economic benefit to the growers. The quality seed not only gives an impetus to increased crop production but also maintains the quality of production, which fetches higher value in the market.
- Sindh Seed Corporation has six agriculture farms with total area of 5945.36 acres. The Sindh Seed Corporation processing plants and farms are offered for joint venture to potential investors for promotion of quality seed production.
Establishment of Oil Extraction Plants
Sindh has 350 kilometers of coastal belt where cultivation of oil palm has been introduced / promoted. There is need for establishment of Oil Extraction Plant for proper utilization of produce. Potential investors may consider establishment of Oil Extraction Plant for promotion of oil palm plantation and extraction of oil.
PROMOTION OF HIGH EFFICIENCY IRRIGATION SYSTEMS DRIP, PRINKLER & RAIN GUN
- Urban agricultural areas where high value vegetables, fruits, flowers and nursery plants are grown.
- Undulated sandy lands in Thar desert, which have groundwater of reasonable quality.
- Sandy and undulating riverine areas.
- Sandy high areas within Indus basin, which require huge investments for surface irrigation
- Barani lands, where high-value crops are grown on steep slopes and/or with very coarse textured soils.
Dairy & Livestock Sector in Sindh
Investment Potential
- Milk production
- Potential for export (cattle, buffalo, sheep, goat, camel)
- Hilal meat production
- Transfer of world class technology
- Investment in livestock processing and value addition
- Human resources development
- Establishment of modern abattoirs.
- Transfer of production systems from conventional to modern, market based to boost the production
Identification of Land for Livestock and Dairy Farming
- 1200 acres of land has been earmarked for Bhambhore dairy & meat processing Zone at District Thatta
- T1300 acres of land have been earmarked at District Thatta, for future needs of Livestock Department.
