ABSTRACT

This thesis presents a detailed study of the fruit value chain in Malakand Division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) in Pakistan. Even though Malakand has a strategic position due to fruit production, the region is characterized by a set of inefficiencies at the system level, which causes huge post-harvest losses and underutilization of export opportunities. There are three key aims of this research. 1) It looks at the dynamics of the production of fruits in Malakand with time and how the trends translate to the performance of exports. 2) It quantifies the quantity of the fruits wasted post-harvest and determines the monetary cost of such losses throughout the value chain. 3) It  examines  the main  issues  that  stakeholders,  including  farmers, traders, and  exporters, encounter during the movement of fruits from the farms and the markets.

The mixed-methods research design, which will enable this study to focus on both the quantitative dynamics and the qualitative complexities of the fruit value chain in Malakand Division, is likely to include the following stages. The quantitative approach applies compound growth rate (CGR) and decomposition Analysis to a 19-year (2004-2023) multi-year data set. The paper presents significant changes in fruit productivity rates for Malakand Division, where apple fruit production decreases by 11.30 percent and peaches increase by 5.30 percent. The analysis of the decomposition indicates that peach growth is area-based (132.2%), whereas the persimmon growth is yield-based (79%). Estimates of post-harvest losses exceed PKR 851,183, with most of the losses incurred by farmers and wholesalers due to fruit fly infestations, physical damage, and power outages in cold storage. Based on the thematic analysis, four constraints are identified, namely price volatility, the lack of dedicated post-harvest infrastructure, the regulatory obstacles, and the lack of coordination of stakeholders. SWOT analysis has found opportunities in value- added processing and threats due to climate change and land-use transitions. The paper proposes electricity-run cold storage, pest management, and high-density planting training, and better certification and transportation- all measures that have the potential to reduce post-harvest losses by 40 percent and increase farmer incomes by 35%.