MULTAN,March 16th: President Mango Growers Association Pakistan and Chairman Board of Management Agro Food Processing Facilities (AFP) (Mango Pulp Plant) , Syed Zahid Hussain Gardezi has said that AFP is a Common Facility Centre for growers which was established by SMEDA to add value to the mango and other fruits grown in the region for the benefits to growers of the area and not to mint money as an industry.He said that it was neither a commercial plant nor a profit oriented organisation. He said that this initiative by SMEDA reflects the clear insight of the establishment to industrialize agro sector through the stakeholders as no initiative had ever been taken by the Industrial class. Mango growers were suffering huge loses due to lack of any reprocessing industry of fruits and vegetables in growing areas particularly of South Punjab. He said Southern Punjab is fortunate to have Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani as Prime Minister of Pakistan who has taken keen interest in early completion of AFP and has honoured the growers by personally inaugurating it along with Chief Minister Punjab and other Federal and Provincial Ministers in August 2009.Syed Zahid Hussain Gardezi said that though the concept of this Facility was conceived by Mango Growers Association in early nineties but the actual ground breaking commenced in year 2007. With unprecedented support by the present government and focused interest of SMEDA, mango pulp plant became operational for test run for all fruits after the inauguration on 25 August 2009. The Plant has now been tested for seasonal mango, apple, guava and tomato and is in shut down phase till commencement of mango season in year 2010.Zahid Hussain Gardezi appreciated the role of Board of Management and its coordination with the executing agency SMEDA during the built-up phase of this facility. He said that an additional grading and waxing machinery for citrus, mango and vegetables has been incorporated now in the set-up to make the facility available for processing of fruits particularly mango and citrus from next season onward for export purpose.Syed Zahid Gardezi said that this facility and the contemporary concept of facilitating the real stakeholders I:e growers of the area is not in contradiction with the contemporary concept of Public Private Partnership which the present government is promoting. He said that unfound fears regarding the failure of this project which is in infancy is being raised by vested interests with underlying motives by non-stakeholders. He said the representation in Board of Management is a classic mix of technocrats, visionary mango growers and Industry people to help guide their brethrens growers achieve the objectives of the project. He said that the benefits of this facility will directly be felt by growers once this goes into commercial production and the Government resolve of raising economic health of rural community will be a step towards that achievement.

MULTAN, Jan 21st: Prime MInister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani will inaugurate the newly constructed runway of Multan airport on April 17, Defence Minister, Director General Civil Aviation and Chairman of PIAC would be accompanied by him. The Chinese firm which was executing the Multan Airport upgradation project will complete the 10,000 feet long and 150 feet wide runway till March 31st. After that PIA and other airlines would be invited to use this airport for their air buses, boeing and wide bodied cargo aircrafts. The second phase of this project would be complete in 2011.This project would cost Rs.4.7 billion.The existing runway of the Multan Airport is 9,000 feet long with 100 feet wide. During the expansion, both the length and width of the runway would be enhanced to 10,500 feet and 150 feet, respectively, and the runway would not be in position to accommodate Boeing flights. However, ATR flights would remain operating and the suggestion to suspend the Boeing flights was just to avoid inconvenience.Project Manager Ata Sheikh told that Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani had already agreed to the CAA proposal.He said that they had recommended PIA authorities to issue a new flights schedule from July 1, adding that ATR flights would be also be given landing facility during night-time.He said the expansion project worth Rs4.7 billion would be completed by October 2010.