Pakistan exceeds mango export target

Pakistan sends 125,000 tons abroad against a target of 80,000 tons

KARACHI:

Pakistan has managed to surpass the mango export target in the current season and has sent 125,000 tons of the fruit abroad, fetching much-needed foreign exchange worth $72 million despite daunting challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Keeping in view the difficulties emerging from the global pandemic, the mango export target was set at 80,000 tons by the government,” said All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) Patron-in-Chief Waheed Ahmed.

“Against all odds, the country’s exporters managed to exceed the target by 45,000 tons by adopting aggressive strategies coupled with timely decision-making by the federal government.”

It was anticipated that in the next 1-1.5 months, an additional 25,000 tons of mango would be exported, he said.

According to him, the outgoing mango season turned out to be one of the most difficult periods in history for mango exports, however, traders successfully converted the challenges into unique opportunities by following appropriate and realistic strategies.

Detailing the plan of action adopted by the traders, Ahmed said businessmen switched the mode of transportation from air to sea and land routes after the global air carriers stopped operations in the wake of lockdowns.

“Prior to the commencement of current mango season, the entire world was engulfed in the coronavirus crisis and the lockdowns imposed to contain the outbreak led to the closure of supermarkets,” he said.

When the mango season began in the middle of the pandemic, the stakeholders were confronted with grave problems, he pointed out.

On the one hand, there were daunting logistical issues while on the other, people, who were confined to their homes due to global lockdowns, direly needed food items, particularly those having high nutritional value such as mango.

Ahmed stressed that mango was highly effective against the coronavirus disease due to its high nutritional value.

“Taking timely advantage of this unique opportunity, President Arif Alvi called a special meeting and directed the stakeholders to launch an aggressive campaign for the promotion of local mangoes,” he said.

“This was done by taking services of Pakistani missions abroad for sending mangoes as gift to many heads of state with a view to improving diplomatic ties with those nations.”

In light of the decision, the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) initiated a mango promotion scheme by sending mangoes to 30 heads of state in 24 cities around the world through Pakistani missions abroad.

According to Ahmed, this well-thought-out strategy played a vital role in the promotion of Pakistani mangoes at the international level.

“Consumers of recipient countries played a leading role in highlighting Pakistani mangoes as delicious, highly nutritious and effective against the deadly pandemic,” he said.

He added that Afghanistan emerged as the largest mango importing country for Pakistan while the UAE, Iran and Oman also proved to be huge international markets.

He added that the UAE, Iran and Oman imported 33,000 tons, 17,956 tons and 11,459 tons of Pakistani mangoes respectively.

He recalled that his association had raised the issue of closure of Iran and Afghanistan borders and highlighted the problem in a meeting of the National Assembly standing committee.

“Subsequently, prompt action was taken by the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of National Food Security and Research and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the issue was resolved within a short span of 72 hours, which is commendable,” he said.

Ahmed underlined that on the directive of the Aviation Division, the PIA CEO met with a delegation of mango exporters to discuss the issues faced by them with regard to air transport.

By taking quick decision, the CEO reduced air freight charges by 30-50% to facilitate the export of fruits and vegetables, he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2020.

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