Mango production: ‘Pakistan needs to upgrade inspection mechanism’

US officials say there is need to enhance innovation, farming practices

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government should establish a reliable inspection and phyto-sanitary certification system to enhance exports of mangoes across the globe, said United States (US) officials on Wednesday.

“The export of mangoes could be enhanced manifold by establishing a reliable phyto-sanitary certification and inspection system to meet international standards,” said US Embassy Islamabad Agricultural Councillor David Williams, in an exclusive interview to The Express Tribune.

He said Pakistan had the world’s finest quality mangoes and their exports could be enhanced by improving the hygiene and packaging standards to the level of the international markets. “Also, freight charges are much higher on mango exports and could be reduced by upgrading the shipment system.”

Talking about the Pakistani mango market in the US, Williams said Pakistani mangoes were unknown in the US except within the Pakistani diaspora, however, authorities were now taking steps to enhance the share. “The US market is small but growing; about 184 metric tons of Pakistani mangoes were exported to the US last year,” he added.

Also present, US Deputy Officer Director Michelle Corzine said besides up-gradation of technology and farming practices, there was a need to prolong the mango season through research and innovation; like changing the production germination. “The life of the fruit is very brief and bulk of it comes to the market for a limited period and perishes before it even reaches the potential markets.”

“This is a collective loss for the farmers as well as for the country’s overall economy,” she added.



There are two flagship programmes under which the United States is helping Pakistan improve its quality standards and enhance mango production; they include the US-Pakistan Partnership for Agriculture Market Development and Agriculture Innovative Project.

Under the programmes, the US officials supported 26 mango orchards for bringing up the products at par with global standard besides developing linkages for the Pakistani farmers in the international markets.

“The US has provided 13 mango graders to Pakistani farmers to help in improving the quality of the fruit,” said Corzine, adding that since the intervention of the US in the mango sector in 2010, the sale of Pakistani mangoes has increased by $54 million.

Moreover, she said 4500 farmers were trained for value-addition and packaging; 6000 jobs were created in addition. “As much as 4,000 acres of flood-affected mango orchards were also rehabilitated with the support of the US programmes.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2016.