The UAE-Pakistan Assistance Programme (UAE PAP) has announced to begin commercial production at a dates processing factory in Panjgur in Balochistan, which was constructed with a cost of $6.36 million, according to the UAE official news agency WAM.
Pakistan is the sixth leading producer of dates in the world, having a production capacity of 556,000 tons yearly. The project was set up covering an area of 5,710 square meters, observing the highest international specifications and standards, with regard to processing, packaging, and storing of dates.
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It comprises 15 production lines having a capacity of four tons per hour or over 32,000 tons per day and contains refrigeration that has the capacity to store up to 1,500 tons of ready-made dates.
Moreover, the project had been funded by the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) under UAE PAP. Since the start of the project in 2013, total financing of almost $220 million had been offered by Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD).
While addressing the event, the Director of UAE PAP Abdullah Khalifa Al Ghafli stated that the start of production at Panjgur dates processing factory, fortunately, coincides with the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramazan and the urgent requirement of premium dates as the main food item at the time of Iftar.
Underlining the UAE’s pioneering strategy in the field of humanitarian work, Al Ghafli hailed the assistance of the UAE’s leadership for the development projects and humanitarian programmes that his organization has been implementing in Pakistan.
Furthermore, Balochistan farmers expressed their joy over the start of the Panjgur dates processing factory, which will support them market their date products. The farmers also acknowledged the UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for their help at hard times of crises and hardship through the implementation of initiatives and development projects.
