Pakistani mangoes fetch better prices

Ministry of Commerce to focus on exploring new markets, obtain tariff concessions

ISLAMABAD:

Mango exports are maintaining a positive trajectory and Pakistani mangoes are getting better prices as compared to previous years, noted the Ministry of Commerce during a consultative session on the issues regarding exports of mango.

The exports of mango increased to $104 million in 2019-20 from $78 million in the previous year. The main markets for Pakistan’s exports are United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Afghanistan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting, all bottlenecks being faced by the growers and exporters of mangoes were discussed in detail. The main issues identified included compliance requirements, high freight charges, lack of cold storage areas at airports and insufficient water/vapour treatment facilities.

However, it was agreed that the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) will examine all the legal issues for operationalising the already-imported Vapour Heat Treatment Plant, presently lying at the Expo Centre Karachi.

It was also agreed that the Ministry of Commerce will focus on exploring new markets and obtain tariff concessions for export of mangoes.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood suggested that TDAP should double its efforts for marketing Pakistani mangoes abroad.

Furthermore, participants of the meeting also agreed that efforts will be made to establish cold storage areas on airport and shipping ports and the Ministry of Aviation and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will be approached for reserving a dedicated area for mango consignments.

The CAA would be approached to install bigger scanners for scanning the consignments instead of loading and unloading small crates.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 13^th, 2020.

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