Wana’s Chilgoza Pine Nuts Illuminate South Waziristan’s Winter

APP

Peshawar: In the cold and arid season, Chilgoza pine nuts, rich in nourishing varieties, emerge as a distinctive gift from nature for South Waziristan.

It is to mention that Pakistan stands as the world’s fifth-largest producer of pine nuts, contributing significantly to its economy with an annual export value of around 30 billion rupees.

The vast pine nut forests extend across Badar, Shawal, Khamrang, and Angoor Adda in South Waziristan, as well as the areas of Barmal and Laman on the opposite side of the border. Pakistan holds the position of the fifth-largest global producer of pine nuts, contributing an annual revenue ranging from twenty-five to thirty billion rupees. Officials reported on Monday that half of this revenue, totaling eight to ten billion rupees annually, originates from South Waziristan.

While the Chilgoza forests in South Waziristan, particularly in Badar, Shawal, Kharmang, and Angoor Ada, enjoy global renown, local cultivators face challenges due to the absence of adequate facilities and the spillover of insecurity from Afghan territories. This situation has resulted in prolonged distress for the local farming community.

According to the state media, the Pakistan Army has established a state-of-the-art agricultural park dedicated to pine nuts in South Waziristan. This cutting-edge facility includes a processing plant and storage facility. This initiative aims to preserve and enhance the quality of pine nut production in the region.

The primary objective of the agricultural park is to safeguard the pine nut harvests of local farmers in South Waziristan.

Recognizing the hardships faced by cultivators, the army has allocated a budget of 850 million rupees to establish a modern agricultural park