Sindh becomes first province to cultivate jackfruit in Pakistan

In a revolutionary effort in agriculture, a local farmer in Sindh cultivated jackfruit, also known as Kathal, for the first time in Pakistan.

This marked the first production of Kathal in Pakistan, as it had not been planted for farming purposes before.

Jackfruit is the national fruit of Bangladesh, but it is being cultivated in India, Philippines, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.

Sindh's Tando Jam and Tando Allahyar were the areas where the cultivation took place.

Officials believed that the plantation of the fruit would provide a sustainable business by transforming the agricultural landscape.

According to experts, a mature jackfruit tree produces around 200 fruits per year, while older trees can yield up to 500 fruits annually.

Farmer Taufeeq Qaimkhani said that a single tree on his land is generating an income of more than Rs100,000.

Environmental experts said that the climate in interior Sindh is favourable for jackfruit production, and its trees require less water.

A horticulturist said that the weight of a single fruit can be up to 22 kilograms.

Interestingly, jackfruit was first planted in Pakistan's Kohat 77 years ago.

Buster Goodwin, the first assistant collector in the city, brought it from New Delhi and planted it in 1947 in the customs house Kohat, which was one of the oldest areas in the country. But, the cultivation was not for farming puropose.