Pakistan targeting $75 mn from export of 100,000 tons mangoes

Karachi, May 18: Pakistan is targeting revenues of around USD 75 million from export of approximately 100,000 tonne mangoes this season to various countries, including South Korea, Japan, China, the US and Australia.

The shipment of mangoes from Pakistan will began from May 20 this season, a senior office bearer of the the Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) said.

"We are expecting these shipments will fetch foreign exchange of around USD 75 million for the country's exchequer," PFVA Chairman Waheed Ahmed said. He noted that last season the export target of mangoes could not be met due to a drastic fall of about 40 per cent in mango production.

The exporters, besides targeting traditional markets, will also try to tap new markets in China, Russia, Iran, Belarus and Middle Eastern countries.

However, in the absence of much-needed vapour heat treatment (VHT) plant, the Japanese market will remain untapped for the third consecutive year.

Ahmed said that exporters had exported around 72,000 tonnes of mangoes last year which was the lowest in the last five years.

"This year the forecast and scenario looks better with 100,000 tons of mangoes to be exported as production is expected to be higher this season than the previous year and it may touch 1.6 million tonnes," he said.

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Canada and some European countries for many years have been traditional markets for Pakistani mangoes and Ahmed said this year markets of South Korea, Japan, China, the US and Australia are also open to Pakistani exporters.

He admitted that Pakistan was lagging behind other mangoes exporting countries because of lack of research and expertise in the county which made it difficult to compete in terms of quality and standards. Ahmed said a Vapour Heat Treatment for tropical fruit import and export is now necessary in this industry.

A VHP palnt had been imported with an investment of millions of rupees but had not become operational as the institutions concerned had yet to install it. By treating mango at the VHT plant, Pakistan can initially export more than 400 tonnes to Japan, increasing the volume to thousands in future.

PTI