Fruit exporters asked to meet global standards

Consignments rejected every year due to non-compliance.

KARACHI: Trade-related Technical Assistance Programme (TRTA-II) Chief Technical Adviser Bruno Valanzuolo has underscored the importance of compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary issues and international standards.

Speaking at the European Union-funded Public Private Dialogue on Enhancing Competitiveness and Export of Kinnow and Mango here on Tuesday, he said due to non-compliance with these standards, hundreds of consignments of Pakistani mango and citrus were rejected every year and exports were declining.

“Yellow cards have already been shown to Pakistani exporters for non-compliance, which may ultimately result in a red card, resulting in a complete ban on kinnow and mango exports to EU countries,” he warned.

The dialogue was organised by the International Trade Centre (ITC), Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) and Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development (Pitad).

KCCI President Abdullah Zaki suggested that the government and private sector needed to join hands to address the challenges facing the horticulture sector, particularly those associated with the export of two important products – kinnow and mango.

Praising the efforts being made by the ITC and Pitad in collaboration with the EU for implementing TRTA-II, Zaki expressed the hope that cooperation would grow further to facilitate the business community by holding public-private dialogue on enhancing competitiveness in all fields.

He pointed out that availability of Pakistan’s citrus fruit at comparatively low prices in the world market had helped the country export more than 305,000 tons of kinnow worth about $180 million in 2013-14. Last year, Pakistan exported 235,000 tons of kinnow worth $140 million.

“It is quite unfortunate that the mango industry is still not well-developed. We exported 140,000 tons in financial year 2012-13, which was only 8% of total production while up to 30% was wasted due to multiple reasons,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 9^th, 2014.

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