By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: As part of its initiative to support industrial development through innovative methods, the Competitiveness Support Fund (CSF) is poised to expand its ‘matching grant’ operations with new projects including a Mango Packing House in Multan.

According to a CSF announcement here on Tuesday, the Mango Packing House, a joint effort of the CSF and Progressive Mango Growers Group, will be set up for processing and packing of fresh mangoes, certified by EurepGAP, for export to Europe and the US.

According to the plan, a blast chiller/cold storage facility will be established at the site where mangoes will be treated to improve their quality and shelf life before being shipped.

Pakistan produces over 1.6 million tons of mangoes annually. Despite this, there is currently no proper facility for washing, de-sapping, grading and removal of field heat from mangoes.

The Mango Packing House, the first of its kind in Pakistan which will greatly help boost exports, will also be used for processing of citrus and fresh vegetables other than mangoes in off-season.

The purpose of matching grant is to provide co-financing for a project which is innovative and increases efficiency through lower cost, high output and better quality and generates jobs.

Currently, 10 projects are running countrywide. The CSF’s matching grant projects include Common Laboratory for Drug Formulation in Nowshera, Common Facility Centre for Cutlery Polishing and Finishing in Wazirabad, value addition in milk supply chain in Balochistan, based in Quetta, Pishin and Kuchlak, Gems Processing Centre in Chitral, Common Facility Centre for Marble Processing in Mohmand Agency, Solar Kilns for leading clusters of furniture sector in Islamabad, Karachi, Chiniot, Gujarat and Lahore, Medicinal Berries and Fruit Processing Unit in Ghizer (Northern Areas), Automotive Simulation Design Training and Service Centre in Lahore, Meat Farm and Abattoir in Pattoki and Mango Packing House in Multan.

It is estimated that over 11,000 jobs will be generated through these projects, of which more than 6,000 for men and about 5,000 for women. The CSF has invested $1.051 million in these projects, which will bring in perceived new investment of $10.47 million.

The Nowshera Laboratory for Drug Formulation provides services to pharmaceutical units for drug testing and quality control in compliance with good manufacturing practices.

The facility evaluates physical, chemical, biological, micro-biological and trace metals in multi-vitamins and mineral drugs preparation.

The objective of the Wazirabad Common Facility Centre for Cutlery Polishing and Finishing is to set up a modern tableware grinding and polishing unit in order to increase efficiency in finishing process, increase sales to major retailers and introduce its own brand in the local market.

Similarly, the project of value addition in milk supply chain in Balochistan is designed to empower farmers by providing market access and support for setting up a high quality milk supply chain.

The Dairy Strategic Working Group (SWOG) in Balochistan has proposed a project to link under-privileged producers, mainly women, from rural areas of Kuchlak and Pishin.

The objective is to create an integrated cooperative structure which ensures farmer control through the value chain of milk procurement, processing and marketing. It progressively links producers with consumers, maximising farmer profit and productivity.