Pakistan exports fruit concentrate for the first time

KARACHI: A local company has sent Pakistan’s first-ever shipment of fruit concentrate abroad.

Chairman All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association, Waheed Ahmed, told The Express Tribune that “Iftikhar Ahmed and Company has exported 11 tons of clear apple juice concentrate to Lebanon, which is the first-ever such shipment sent from the country.” “This shipment is valued at about Rs900,000.”

The current volume of global trade in fruit concentrates is approximately 1.5 million tons.

Fruit exporters say that Pakistan can capture a sizeable share in this market if further value addition is achieved by local fruit exporters and merchants.

“However, horticulture development has not received adequate attention and support from the government. Research and development have not been promoted in this sector, as a result of which Pakistan has not been able to attain its true potential,” lamented Waheed Ahmed.

Iftikhar Ahmed and Company spent Rs280 million last year to install a specialised plant to prepare fruit concentrate. The plant has a production capacity of 5,000 tons per year and it can produce concentrates of tomatoes, peaches, apples, bananas, carrots and even dates.

In 2009, local companies imported about 2,000 tons of fruit concentrate valued at $2 million for production of juices and other products.

Ahmed contended that domestic production will help save foreign exchange and provide affordable, local alternatives to expensive imports.

“Processing of fruits to produce concentrate will also help utilise produce that is otherwise wasted,” added Waheed.

Fruit exporters have also requested the government to zero-rate equipment needed for production of concentrates to encourage more producers to set up similar value addition plants.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2010.