Peshawar,Pakistan 2024 – The Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Company (PHDEC) today held a highly informative webinar titled “Post-Harvest Techniques for Peaches: Ensuring Freshness from Orchard to Market” at 11 AM. The event aimed to address the critical issue of post-harvest losses in the peach sector and provide stakeholders with the latest technologies and best practices to maintain the quality and extend the shelf life of peaches.
It is worth noting here that Post-harvest losses for fruits and vegetables in Pakistan can reach alarming levels of up to 35%. Peaches, grown mainly in Baluchistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Punjab over approximately 15,000 hectares, produce around 150,000 tons annually.
Due to their perishable nature, peaches are particularly vulnerable to significant losses if not properly handled, stored, and transported. Factors contributing to these losses include a lack of knowledge about pests and diseases, insufficient information on preservation methods, multiple intermediaries, and ethylene production during ripening, which accelerates senescence and quality degradation.
The webinar featured a comprehensive presentation by Dr. Muhammad Zahid Rashid from the Horticulture Research Institute, AARI Faisalabad, who shared valuable insights into advanced harvest and post-harvest management techniques for peaches. Dr. Rashid emphasized the importance of modern technologies and best practices to minimize losses and improve the quality of peaches.
The webinar underscored the urgent need for advanced post-harvest management practices to
reduce losses and ensure the quality of peaches from orchard to market. PHDEC remains. committed to supporting the horticulture sector through continued education, workshops, and pilot projects aimed at improving post-harvest techniques.
The event saw active participation from growers, exporters, processors, R&D experts, and other stakeholders who appreciated the initiative and expressed keen interest in implementing the knowledge gained to enhance Pakistan’s peach industry.
