Japan lifts 16-year ban on Pakistani mangoes

Country to import the fruit from this year.

KARACHI:

Japan has lifted a 16-year-old ban on Pakistani mangoes and the Japanese ministry of food and agriculture has announced that it would allow import of Pakistani mangoes from this year.

“It is a huge success for Pakistan. Finally we are successful,” said Harvest Tradings Chief Executive Officer Ahmad Jawad on Wednesday, whose firm is also the first company ever to export mangoes to the US from this year.

The permission to export mangoes to Japan, however, comes with an attached condition-the vapor heat treatment of the fruit.

Ahmad explained that Pakistan had received a Vapor Heat Treatment System (VHT) plant, which uses hot saturated water vapor to heat the fruit slowly treating possible fruit flies, from Japan in 1999 for trials and experiments.

Since then, TDAP had been waiting to get the clearance to use the facility for trials, but this involved paperwork, scientists and approval from both governments. While waiting for the clearance, the TDAP had been busy studying its function and operations, he added.

However, Ahmad said, the TDAP and PHDEC will now start the VHT trial since Japanese inspectors are expected to arrive in the country this month. “Japanese inspectors will arrive to inspect and test the facility before we can export mangoes to Japan. They will investigate and give proper recommendations,” he said.

At the moment, a small VHT plant is available for testing Japan’s quarantine requirements. Bigger plants will be available soon for commercial usage once Pakistan has finalised everything, he added. After the trial has been made and approval is given, different varieties of Pakistani mangoes will be sent to the embassy of Pakistan in Japan in early July 2011, Ahmad said.

Initially, limited quantity of mangoes will be sent to Japan for promotional purposes as test shipment. The commercial department of the Pakistani embassy in Japan will be in charge of marketing and distributing the mangoes. Furthermore, a feasibility study will be made by the commercial department and the results will be reviewed thoroughly.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2011.