Proposals invited for setting up mango cold storage

Exporters have failed to make shipments due to high temperature in Sindh

KARACHI: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) has sought proposals for setting up a mango cold storage in Sindh as most of the exporters have failed to make shipments due to high temperature in the southern province of the country.

TDAP Director General (RD-South) Azhar Ali Dahar held a meeting with mango growers of Sindh to discuss the issues faced by the growers and to inform them about the steps needed to be taken to increase exports, according to a TDAP statement.

"In 2018-19, most of the mango shipments could not be loaded due to high temperature in Sindh, therefore, TDAP has sought proposals for establishing a chiller/cold storage facility for mango exporters in Karachi," said the statement.

"Mango doesn't face only the cold storage problem, it faces a plethora of issues due to which Pakistan does not export more than 5-7% of the total mango production," said Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) Senior Vice President Mahmood Nawaz Shah.

"When you want to sell a product, whether it is agro-based such as mango, it is not enough now to transport the product in a good shape," he pointed out.

The official said a number of certificates were required to comply with international standards which included the Global GAP (Good Agricultural Practices), which was needed for exports to the European Union. "Not many companies have acquired these certificates so they cannot export to the western countries."

Social compliance was also important for the international business, for instance how labourers were treated at workplaces, he added.

Apart from these, it is also important to ensure pesticides are utilised in accordance with the international standards and that the product is packed keeping in view the same.

Pakistan could not introduce its mango in many of the western countries. "We export mostly to the Middle Eastern nations - more than 50% - and in western countries only people belonging to South Asia are familiar with our mango. Other communities are not aware of Pakistan's mango," Shah said.

He was of the view that Pakistan needed to improve the ease of doing business not only internally but also externally. For example, the Middle Eastern airlines' fares for cargo shipments were up to 20% higher for Pakistani exporters than those for Indian exporters.