Passu cherry show boosts Hunza entrepreneurs

PASSU: A six-day cherry exhibition in Passu, Upper Hunza, concluded on Saturday after generating more than Rs2 million in economic activity, according to organisers, while drawing large numbers of Pakistani and foreign visitors to the area.

The event gave local farmers, entrepreneurs and artisans an opportunity to present and sell their goods directly to visitors, helping introduce local products to wider markets inside Pakistan and abroad. Junain Akhtar of the Passu Youth and Support Organisation said the exhibition was designed to give residents a platform to market their products, build their brands and connect with customers from across the country and overseas.

Akhtar said Passu was one of the region’s leading tourist destinations and attracted hundreds of visitors each season because of its landscape and the Passu Cones. He added that recent festivals had encouraged entrepreneurship by giving local businesses direct exposure to potential buyers.

"The primary objective of the exhibition was to provide local people with a platform to market their products, strengthen their brands and connect directly with customers from across Pakistan and abroad. Passu is a tourism hub, and local entrepreneurs are now building brands that can compete in wider markets," he added.

Women-led stalls and local products

Dozens of stalls featured fresh cherries, organic food, traditional handicrafts, dried apricots, high-altitude herbs, gemstones and locally made herbal teas. Vendors wearing traditional dress also displayed handmade items such as caps and bags.

Women had a particularly visible presence at the exhibition, with their participation exceeding that of men. Both younger and older women ran stalls, produced handicrafts and marketed handmade goods.

Shaista Salman, a stall owner, said such events helped overcome market access challenges faced by many women entrepreneurs.

"We usually have limited access to markets. This exhibition brought customers together under one roof and gave us the opportunity to earn directly,” she added.

Bibi Heleema, a 22-year-old graduate student, used her summer vacation to set up a stall displaying gemstones and handicrafts. She said the earnings from the festival would support her education.

Calls for similar events

Local community leader Asif Sakhi said residents of the area had limited sources of income and urged community organisations to continue arranging similar programmes. He said such activities helped generate economic movement and support local enterprises.

The exhibition also attracted foreign tourists. A visitor from Poland, Khatrina, praised the setting as well as the food and tea available at the event. "I enjoyed the delicious food and tea amid breathtaking landscape," she said.