CLUSTER PROFILE

Shikarpur Pickle

Turn Potential into Profit

Small & Medium Enterprise Development Authority
Ministry of Industries and Production
Government of Pakistan
http://www.smeda.org.pk

5th Floor, Bahria Complex-II, Molvi Tameezudin Khan Road,

Karachi

UAN: (92-21) 111-111-456, FAX: (92-21) 561-0572

1
Cluster Development Program Pickle, Shikarpur

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DESCRIPTION OF CLUSTER...............................................................................3

CLUSTER BRIEF...................................................................................................................3
HISTORY AND BACKGROUND..................................................................................................3
DEFINING THE PRODUCTS......................................................................................................3
GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION....................................................................................................4
CORE CLUSTER ACTORS.......................................................................................................4
ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS............................................................4

PRODUCTION PROCESSES ......................................................................................................4

RAW MATERIAL .................................................................................................................5
TECHNOLOGY .....................................................................................................................5
MARKET ANALYSIS..............................................................................................................5
INSTITUTIONAL SETUP........................................................................................6

ENTREPRENEURS ASSOCIATIONS.............................................................................................6
PRIVATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICE (BDS) PROVIDERS.................................................6
BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.....................................................................................6
SWOT ANALYSIS..................................................................................................6

INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES...........................................................................7

Cluster Diagnostic Study

Cluster Development Program SMEDA - Sindh

Description of Cluster
Cluster Brief
Shikarpur District is a district in Sindh province in Pakistan with capital Shikarpur. It is
situated about 29 km from the left bank of the Indus, with a railway station, 37 km NW of
Sukkur. It is spread over 2841 sq.km with a population of 880,438 of which 23.51%
were urban in 1998. Shikarpur is divided into 4 administrative strata (taluka/tehsils),
namely: Shikarpur city, Lakhi, Khan Pur and Garhi Yaseen. Chak,Beechangi a town in
taluka Lakhi, has an important place in the district politically, socially and economically
besides the main Shikarpur city.

Shikarpur had always been an important place as commanding the trade route through
the Bolan Pass and its merchants have dealing with many towns in Central Asia. It has
seven gates Like Hathi Gate, Lucky Gate etc. It is famous for its pickles and sweets. It
has a large market and manufacturers cotton cloth and pottery.

Pickle in Shikarpur is manufactured in twent-five different agriculture products like

mango(carry), gajjar, chillies, lemon onion etc. and is manufactured in three categories
oil, vinegar, and water. While export quality of pickle is manufactured in soyabean oil.
There are twleve pickle manufacturing factories in Shikarpur and fifteen pickle selling
shops in the city. Different manufacturers have opened their outlets in different cities of
the country like in Quetta to export the product to Afghanistan and Iran

History and Background

It is believed that the pickle manufacturing skill was transferred to the local community
by the Hindu community at the time of partion since then it achieved a prominent palce
in pickle maufacturing in Pakistan. Except the manufacturing skill in pickle
manufacturing fresh and sweet water of Shikrapur icreases the taste of pickle.

Defining the Products

The production of pickle is in Shikarpur can be broadly categorized into following
segments:
 Mango
 Carrot (Gajjar)
 Chillies
 Lemon
 Onions

Cluster Profile Pickle Cluster, Shikarpur 3

Cluster Development Program SMEDA - Sindh

Geographical Location
The Shikarpur’s pickle cluster is completely dominated by twelve manufactures which
are located at Sindh Small Industries and varied in terms of size and location. The small
and unorganized manufacturers produce at domestic level.

Core Cluster Actors

The manufacturers of all type of pickle are core cluster actors. The major highlights of
Shikarpur’s cluster is as follows:
Table: Shikarpur’s pickle Cluster
Number of Units Approximately 50
- 12 are large
- -38 are small
Employment Generated employing approximately 4,500 labour force among them
3000 are working on daily wages

The 12 manufacturers are the members of Shikarpur Pickle Manufacturers Association.

Analysis of Business Operations

Production Processes
Pickle manufacturing process is consisit on six steps. When raw material are brought
from different parts of the province/country (like mango) is being cut into different parts
according to the requirement of buyer after then it is washed with fresh water, then it is
mixued in mixing machine at this stage different spices are mixed with raw material.
After that raw material is stored in brin tank where they can be preserved for twelve
months. After that acoording to the requirement of buyer mixed raw material is taken
from the brin tank and are washed. After washing raw material are mixed in mixing
tup(container) where different spices are mixed after then manufactured pickle is
packaged in different sizes of jars and are sold.

Pickle manufactured in vinegar takes fifteen days to be ready for eating purpose while
pickle manufactured in soyabean oil takes one month to be eaten.

Manufacturing Process

Cluster Profile Pickle Cluster, Shikarpur 4

Cluster Development Program SMEDA - Sindh

Cutting Washing Mixing

Storage/brin
Mixing Washing
tank

Packaging

Raw Material
Primary raw material for pickle is mango, lemon, onion, and other species which is easy
available in the market. Though primary products are purchased within the Sindh
province where ever season lies like during the carry season carry is purchased form
Hala.

Technology
Technology is rapidly changing in all spheres of life these days and also in auto parts
sector. Old conventional systems are changing with computer aided systems but the
pickle manufacturers in Shikarpur are reluctant for adoption of modern technology in the
process it is due to their earning power. Pickle of shkarpur is though famous for its
quality and taste but is being manufactured in more unhygienic conditions. The whole
manufactured process is done manually and raw material is placed are mixed in
cemented tanks which increases the chances of mixing of stones in manufactured
proces and are filled and packaged manuaaly with hands without any hand gloves.
Which not only slow down manufacturing process but increases the chances of
unhygenic conditions.

Market Analysis
The daily out put of almost all of these twelve factories is ranged from 6000 to 8000
munds. Among them some are manufacturing 1000 munds every day in season.
Manufactured produtcs are deleverd to the buyers within one week of the order and are
mostly sold in local market of the country.
Pickle of shikarpur is exported to Afghanistan, Iran and other central Asian Countries
through the different outlets opened in Quetta by different manufacturers. Pickle is also
exported to United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and in African countries etc. directly
are through the help of middleman.

Cluster Profile Pickle Cluster, Shikarpur 5

Cluster Development Program SMEDA - Sindh

Institutional Setup
Entrepreneurs Associations
 Pickle Manufacturers Association Shikarpur
 Shikarpur Chmaber of Commerce & Industry

Private Business Development Service (BDS) Providers

There is not any private business development service providers within the cluster.

Banks and Financial Institutions

Number of Banking institution are offering their services in Shikarpur but cluster is not
associated with the banks as there are few giant players in the cluster and running their
business since years none of new entrepreneur is interested it is being shifted from
family to family.

SWOT Analysis
The SWOT analysis of the cluster will be useful for clean understanding of the
capabilities of the cluster to face the challenge a head.
Strength:
• Traditional product
• Famous for its test since years
• Easy availability of raw material
• Easy availability of labor force.
• Exposure to export market.
• Good transport facilities.
• High demand in local and international market.

Weaknesses:
• Low level of education.
• Un-willingness to adopt modern technology
• Un-hygenic conditions within the manufacturing
• Lack of marketing awareness.
• Lack of common facility within the cluster.

Opportunities:
• Up gradation due to involvement of different stake holders.
• Improvement in manufacturing process
• Traditional demand for product
• Demand for low price.

Cluster Profile Pickle Cluster, Shikarpur 6

 Cluster Development Program SMEDA - Sindh

Threats:
• Quality requirement of international market
• Competitors like National with modern technology

vestment Opportunities
Pickle of shkarpur is though famous for its quality and taste but is being manufactured in
more unhygienic conditions. The whole manufactured process is done manually and
raw material is placed are mixed in cemented tanks which increases the chances of
mixing of stones in manufactured proces and are filled and packaged manuaaly with
hands without any hand gloves. Which not only slow down manufacturing process but
increases the chances of unhygenic conditions.
Pickle is packaged in the jars which are less attractive in pakaging to attract the target
market like National and other manufactures in the country. Therefore following
investment opportunites in the sector

1. Mixing Machinery: It will Enhence the productivity and quality standard.

2. Automatic Filling and Packaging: It will enhence the quality and Output.
3. Cutting Instruments: It will enhence the out put.
4. Fency Jars: Possibly attract more target market.
5. Tiles are Marble Tanks: Enhanced hygenic conditions.

Cluster Profile Pickle Cluster, Shikarpur 7