In Pakistan, vegetables are the integral
part of the cropping pattern but occupy only 2-3 % of the total cultivated
area. Almost 50 kinds of vegetables, cucumber and tomatoes being one of them, are
grown in winter and summer seasons across the country. However, in hilly areas
winter vegetable are also grown alongside summer, which are called off-season
that fetches high income in the market. Gilgit Baltistan is one of those areas
where off-season vegetables can be grown successfully. Vegetable crops are very important due to its
higher yield potential, return and nutritional value and suitability for small
land holders. In Pakistan, the daily per capita intake of vegetables is low as
about 100 grams compared to the recommended consumption of about 285 grams.
Tomato tunnel
crop in Ghizer, GB
In the year 2014, a total yield of 20889.64 MT of vegetable (excluding potato) was produced in Gilgit Baltistan (GB) without mentioning area in the statistics. Out of which tomato yield was 4861.16 and cucumber yield was reported as 974.98 tons (Gilgit- Baltistan Agriculture Statistics Survey Report-2014). However, low vegetable production and use in GB may be the cause of least awareness about vegetables cultivation among the farming community, which tends dealers to import vegetables from other parts of the country. However, observing this grim situation, the ETI-GB took a step to initiate and maximize vegetable cultivation trend among farmers.
The reason for least cultivation of vegetables in GB may be due to the remoteness of internal and external wholesale markets from the production areas. While low yields may be due to non-availability of quality vegetable seeds, use of imbalanced fertilizers, non-availability of pesticides and its proper knowledge of use to control insects and diseases coupled with least awareness and technical know-how.
In the first instance, cucumber and tomato crops were selected for growing under walk-in- tunnels installed across the province on cost-share basis jointly by Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) and Agriculture Department, GB with the financial support of AFAD. In the first year, a total of 547 tunnels were installed. In Gilgit and Diamer, the size of the tunnel was kept as 100x12 ft. while in Skardu Region, the size of tunnel was kept as 50x12 ft. on cost share of 70:30 %. Since walk in tunnel technology was a new concept in GB, therefore, imparting training on this technology to the farmers was of utmost importance. The services of an adept trainer were hired for this purpose and roundabout 547 farmers were trained on how to produce cucumber and tomato crops under the tunnel. Farmers were supported by providing them; 8 trays for nursery raising, knit to protect the crop in the tunnel from insects, 120 ft. plastic as mulch, one mulching machine/group, 1000 hybrid seed and 150 kg fertilizer (NPK) per farmer prior to starting field work. The cucumber nursery raising and transplantation was started from May 2, 2019. Eighty knit bags to pack 10-12 kg cucumber fruits were given to the growers before harvesting.
The total yield data of cucumber and tomato were collected and compiled. However, cucumber yield data of 36 farmers from village Oshikandas, district Gilgit was recorded as 41.891 tons, which were sold in Gilgit market with Rs. 1.212043 Million. The first harvest was taken on June 18, 2019 from Oshikandas and sold in Gilgit city market. Similarly, tomato crop was planted on June 03, 2019 and the first picking was obtained on August 13, 2019. Tomato yield data of 6 farmers/tunnels was recorded as 20.078 tons, which generated Rs. 0.636795 Million. However, the tomato crop is in the middle of its harvest as production was still being taken but could not got completed due to installation of some tunnels on higher altitudes. In view of the population increase, land degradation and water scarcity, there is a need to substantially increase vegetable production in the years to come for attaining self-sufficiency as well as to increase the exportable surplus out of GB.
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