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What Grant Recipient Says
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ASF Lays Path to Resolve Sindh Chili Farmers Issues |
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Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) in partnership with Sindh Agriculture & Forestry Workers Coordination Organization (SAFWCO) and local farmers has laid the path for the successful resolution of the long standing issues of chili growers of Sindh. |
Chili is an important cash crop of the Sindh province, particularly in Kunri located in Umer Kot District. Production of red chili in the province is 80,000 tons per annum which accounts for around 86% of the total red chili production of Pakistan. Until fairly recently, this area was known as the chilies capital of the world. However, the region is losing its importance as a chili hub ever since its produce has started facing sanctions in the international markets. The imposition of sanctions is a result of poor harvest and post harvest practices which lead to contamination of the product and loss of color due to the long duration (10 to 12 days) required for drying, which is carried out in the open fields. Rainfall further exacerbates the problem since it results in the destruction of the harvested crop and also helps spur a fungal disease (the cancerous Aflotoxin) which is considered as one of the most serious food related health hazards. |
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In order to address the situation ASF entered into a dialogue with the local stakeholders, including growers, traders, processors and local NGOs. Subsequently ASF in partnership with SAFWCO and local farmers installed small units of solar dryers for chili drying on an experimental basis. In interviews with two participating farmers, Haji Ayub of village Khan Mohammad Kheskhilli and Ali shah of village Haji Matal Dharaijo, it was revealed that they have full confidence in the performance of the solar dryers and have termed it a great success. According to them the quality of the solar dried chilies has improved tremendously, especially after adopting technical advice of the ASF team, with respect to harvest and post harvest practices including washing of the produce before drying. The farmers were delighted to realize a 50% increase in the price of their produce from Rs. 1800 per 40 kg to Rs. 2800 per 40 kg in the open market. Moreover, the drying time of the chilies has also been reduced from 12 days to 5 days resulting in substantial reduction in labour costs. |
ASF is now continuing efforts in collaboration with SAFWCO, local growers and research and educational institutions to scale-up the model and install larger units for the benefit of the farming community at large. It is pertinent to mention that these solar dryers have the potential to become a model simple and low-cost appropriate technology that may easily replicated by small farmers of Sindh on a sustainable basis. |
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