SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The price of pine nut (chilgoza) in Lower South Waziristan have witnessed an unprecedented decline in the current season, dropping from last year’s Rs10,000 per kilogram to the current Rs3,000 per kilogram.

Traders say that the steep fall in price of pine nut has created financial distress for thousands of families linked with the region’s most valuable dry fruit economy.

Commission agent Imran Wazir told this scribe that the dramatic price drop in price of pine nut was result of three major factors. “These factors include exceptionally high production, a slowdown in international demand and systematic harassment of pine nut traders by customs and police personnel in Lahore, Rawalpindi and other major cities,” he added.

He said that pine nut production in South Waziristan Lower surged sharply in the current year, resultantly it was supplied in a larger quantity to market. “Farmers and traders were optimistic that a good harvest would bring better earnings. Instead, the reverse happened. Oversupply pushed price down faster than anyone expected,” he said.

Traders cite high production, shrinking demand and........

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