Nestled among the Karakoram Mountains, in the Pakistan-administered region of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Hunza Valley is famous for the jewel-like dried apricots that are the mainstay of local diets.
But now, thanks to a public-private-producer partnership (4Ps) brokered by the IFAD-funded ETI-GB project, these apricots are making their way through the high mountain passes to the rest of the world.
Women from apricot farming households are organised into village cooperatives. They are given training and equipment to improve quality, reduce food loss and produce sought-after products, like jams and juices.
The 4Ps model then connects farmers with private companies. These larger enterprises can access bigger markets and get good prices for a reliable supply of high-quality products. It’s a win-win across the value chain, from producers to processors and enterprises.
"Before receiving support from ETI-GB, we experienced considerable losses," says Samina, a 51-year-old apricot farmer in Hunza.
Many apricots from her family’s grove of about 35 trees once went unharvested. Those that were picked were dried on flat stones or trays of willow branches. Often, the fruit did not dry properly as it was exposed to rain and dust, so much of it was too damaged to sell or sold for a low price.
Since the partnership with ETI-GB, Samina has dramatically improved the quality of her dried fruit while reducing food loss by as much as 400 kg.
She now uses modern harvesting tools, as well as pruning and grafting techniques that yield better fruit. New drying trays protect the fruit from the elements. When they’re ready, she carefully sorts them so she can sell the best Grade A apricots separately at higher prices.
By reducing waste and improving quality, Samina is earning more without increasing production. "With the additional income, our family’s lifestyle has improved," Samina says. "We are now better positioned to handle economic downturns and have the financial stability to pay our children's school fees on time."
The people of Hunza are proud of their famous fruit, commanding high prices for the best whole dried apricots. That used to mean that fruit that did not meet the highest standards would often go to waste.
But 42-year-old Salima is changing that. Every summer, she sets aside lower-quality fruits and turns them into a sweet jam.
Now, tourists flocking to the village market can take the taste of Hunza back to their homes. And in return, Salima adds up to Rs 40,000 (US$150) to the family earnings.
Farasat remembers being frustrated about the quality of Hunza apricots. “Before the project, hardly 10 per cent of our apricots were graded as A and 80–90 per cent were classified as B to D grade,” he says.
Twelve years ago, he set up Karakoram Organic to pool together local farmers and reach the wider world. Today, his company works with 823 farmers supported by ETI-GB. Thanks to better production, harvesting and processing techniques, the change has been astounding.
“Now, 60–70 per cent of our apricots are classified as Grade A and only 8–10 per cent are Grade C,” says Farasat.
Higher quality has translated into higher incomes for the farmers, with their products being sold to locals, tourists and shoppers in nearby major cities.
What's more, by drying apricots and producing jams and juices to international standards, the farmers are finding new markets.
“This year, we received an order for 18 tons of Grade A dried apricots and five tons of apricot kernels from China,” he says proudly.
But this is only the beginning. “We plan to keep marketing our products internationally, increase our presence in global markets and enhance the economic well-being of our farmer members.”
