FDU Swat to play vital role in agro processing activities: SMEDA.

PESHAWAR -- Provincial Chief, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rashid Aman has said that Fruit Dehydration Unit (FDU), Swat would play vital role in the promotion of agro processing activities in the province by encouraging the private sector.

He stated this while addressing a one-day seminar awareness seminar regarding horticulture sector initiatives of the authority in a local hotel at Saidu Sharif, Swat, said a press release issued here on Wednesday.

Besides, Project Director, FDU, Swat, Hafeezullah, Chairman, All Pakistan Commercial Exporters Association (APCEA), Manzoor Elahi Malik, Deputy Director (DD) Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Iftikhar Khan, Syed Noman (SMEA-USAID), Asmatullah of Pakistan Academy of Rural Development (PARD) and experts Rasheed Khan, Saleem Khan and Tanvir Khan also addressed the participants of the seminar.

The provincial chief SMEDA added that projects like FDU-Swat would play vital role in promotion of agro processing activities within the province by encouraging the private sector and presenting role model. The project is going to become operational during the current calendar year.

The project, he said will also serve as a common facility centre and demonstration unit for the local growers, processors and exporters, providing dehydrated fruit supported by packaging as per international best practices.

The unit is proposed to consist of a fruit dehydration unit with an installed capacity of 175 tons of fruit and vegetable per year along with a washing, slicing, packing and storing capacity. Established on approximately one kanal land, 16 people will be hired directly in the project.

Mr. Hafizullah Khan (Project Director, FDU, Swat), SMEDA briefed participants about objectives of the seminar and the project. He explained that in order to ensure best implementation the project has not only hired a well...