Peach Marketing in NWFP

Peach occupy the most important place in the stone fruits and is temperate in nature. Swat and Peshawar valleys enjoy the central position in NWFP in supplying peach fruit of high quality and grade. This study was conducted to find out the marketing channels adopting by the peach growers and determine the performance of existing marketing system in the two valleys of NWFP during the year, 2006. Results indicate that farm size of the sampled respondents ranged between 0.8 to 20 acres with an average of 6.6 acres. This shows that most of the orchards growers in the study area fall in below substances level of land holdings. It is remarkable that more than half (52.3%) of the orchards area was devoted to peach orchard which showed its importance in the study area. Majority of the Peach growers (78%) in the study area, sold their produce to pre harvest contractors. The reason may be that the area growers had lack of financial resources, labours, marketing information and time. Contractors purchased peach produce from the growers and sold it in the whole sale markets of Lahore (42% of the total purchased), Rawal pindi (26%), Peshawar and Mingora (32%). Results accomplished also indicate that the producer and contractor received a highest portion 54% and 24%, respectively of the consumer s rupee