PARC identified high value early maturing grapes varieties for
monsoon rain fall region of Punjab
By Tariq Chuadhry

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Scientists are striving hard for developing modern technologies by identifying crop varieties that are more productive, profitable and environment friendly.
According to a press release issued from National Agricultural Reserch Centre Planning and Monitoring Research Cell, Scientists engaged in research activities at the National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC), Fruit and Vegetable program have recently identified three high value early maturing varieties of grapes for monsoon high rain fall region of Punjab.
Grape is one of the most remunerative summer fruit crops, native to warm, temperate zone between 34oN and 49oS latitude. In Pakistan, grapes are grown over an area of 13,000 ha with annual production of 49.0 thousand tones. Its crop require long, warm, dry summers and cool winters for best development. Mountainous and sub-mountainous areas up to 2000m altitude or more are suitable for its cultivation.
Monsoon rains result in fungal diseases and rottening of grape berries. Therefore, it was imperative to select those varieties that escape the summer monsoon rain and mature before the monsoon season.
Recent developments in its production technology by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) scientists have made it possible to grow this crop in monsoon rain fall region of Punjab. On the basis of encouraging results obtained in terms of fruit production and quality a complete package of production technology has been developed for production. The Scientists evaluated varieties at NARC and revealed that Flame Seedless, King’s Ruby and Perlette are early in maturity, and can be grown on commercial scale successfully in monsoon rain fall region of Punjab.
Now monsoon season can not produce harmful effects to spoil the grape crops. The technology developed by the NARC Scientists had a special significance because early crop harvest would bestow higher returns to farmers luckily due to off season. The spokesman of the NARC assured, if the technology is adopted by the farmers properly then one can expect that this will help to bring radical changes for alleviating poverty in monsoon rain fall region of Punjab.