Lease of Fruit Orchards at DRIP Farm Tando Jam

The Drainage and Reclamation Institute of Pakistan (DRIP), under the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR), located in Tando Jam, Sindh, is offering the lease of its fruit orchards including Banana, Mango, Guava, and Jujube. This lease opportunity is available through an online open public auction conducted on the EPADS portal. The orchards are leased on an as-is, where-is basis for a period of three years starting from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029. The lease is divided into four lots with specific acreages and initial bid prices per acre per year. The lease amount will increase annually by Rs. 15,000 per acre for the second and third years. The technical scope involves the management and upkeep of the orchards, including pest control, irrigation through canal and tube well facilities, and routine maintenance such as weed control and watercourse desilting. The lessee is responsible for labor and operational costs like diesel for irrigation pumps, while DRIP bears electricity costs and machinery maintenance. The lease agreement prohibits subletting, inter-cropping, or removal of trees without prior approval. Eligibility criteria require bidders to be individuals, agricultural firms, or registered companies based in Lower Sindh with valid CNIC, NTN/GST registration if applicable, financial capacity supported by bank statements, and 3-5 years of relevant orchard management experience. Earnest money of Rs. 50,000 per lot is mandatory, and a security deposit of 5% of the total bid amount must be submitted within seven days of bid acceptance. The deadline for e-bid submission is **June 30, 2026, at 11:00 AM**, with bid opening at 11:30 AM the same day at DRIP, PCRWR, Tando Jam. Bidders must register and submit bids electronically via EPADS; manual bids are not accepted. A practical tip for bidders is to carefully review the lease terms and conditions available on the PCRWR website and EPADS portal before bidding. Ensuring timely submission of earnest money and security deposit is crucial to avoid disqualification. Also, visiting the orchards during office hours prior to bidding can provide valuable insight into the site conditions and help prepare a competitive bid.