
The Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP) a project of Aga Khan Foundation started Mountain Fruits to improve fruit drying system for the communities in the remote mountain valleys amond Kara Krum Mountains in the noeth East of Pakistan so that to support their livelihood by international trade. The primary objective was to improve fruit drying system and make it exportable so that the poor communiites would benefit from high vale export Fairtrade export markets.
In 2005 Hunza apricots were first time certifeid as the first Fairtrade certified apricots in the world and in 2005 walnuts and apricots were certified as first Fairtrade adn organic fruits from Pakistan.
Mountain Fruits trains farmers to practice sun drying of apricots by training ladies in communities. The product is brought to a central processing factory by village representatives and then washed and dried again using a solar tent.
The company encourages and trains the FT contact farmers in production of organic fruits and nuts. Use of FYM and traditional mechanical control on insects pests and diseases. although diseases are not problem because the fruits are grown at high altitudes with winter temp -12 to -30 in some parts of the region.

More Information at www.Fairtrade.net
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