ISLAMABAD: The first-ever two-day `Sargodha Citrus Fest’ concluded at COMSTECH on Wednesday after attracting a large number of visitors. Around 45 varieties of citrus fruit and its products were showcased in the fest. It was jointly organized by the University of Sargodha and COMSTECH where the visitors enjoyed the products, especially citrus fruit-made cakes, juices, desserts, candies and green tea besides a variety of citrus fruit.
The varieties of citrus fruit including Rangpur Lime, Carrizo Citrage, Gada Dahi, Rangpur, Gilgil, Mitha, Pishawari Mittha, Kinnow, Seedless Lemon, Jati Khati, Bara Masii, Ornad Blood, Mosambi, Murcott and many others were exhibited through several stalls. The citrus fest captivated the visitors especially fruit enthusiasts of all ages by the interactive exhibits. The staff of the University of Sargodha briefed the visitors about the products made from citrus fruit.
Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Choudhary, Coordinator General COMSTECH visited each stall in the exhibition and appreciated the exhibitors for their high quality citrus production. Prof. Choudhary said that the University of Sargodha is playing a very important role in the research and development of citrus fruit. He thanked the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sargodha for arranging this magnificent festival in Islamabad. He also appreciated the role of the University of Sargodha being played in collaboration with COMSTECH.
Prof. Choudhary said that citrus is a very highly nutritional fruit. He appreciated the University of Sargodha’s initiative to explore the medicinal properties of this fruit. He informed that COMSTECH has established a citrus processing unit in Nigeria. Prof. Choudhary thanked the visitors of the exhibition. Prof. Choudhary thanked the diplomatic community for patronizing COMSTECH activities and initiatives.
The Vice Chancellor of the University of Sargodha Prof. Dr. Qaisar Abbas thanked the exhibitors of the festival. He said that this was the first ever citrus exhibition organized in Islamabad. Prof. Abbas said that in this exhibition 45 varieties of citrus fruit had been displayed and he promised that in the next year exhibition there will be more varieties. Prof. Qaisar Abbas informed that the University of Sargodha has started a project to work on the scientific properties of the citrus fruit.
The 2-day citrus fest was inaugurated on Tuesday at COMSTECH and the ambassadors and diplomats from Sudan, Yemen, Iran, Azerbaijan, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Kenya, and Russia participated in the inaugural ceremony.
Mr. Murtaza Noor, Advisor Media and Outreach COMSTECH said that we will arrange the citrus festival every year to boost the export of citrus, and congratulated the Coordinator General COMSTECH and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sargodha for organizing this year’s fest in Islamabad.
