Shelf life of mangoes extends to 46 days

KARACHI: A Pakistani company has invented a unique technique to enhance the shelf life of mangoes to as much as 46 days. Fruit exporters say that this new technology will allow Pakistani mangoes to be sold in much larger quantities in countries as far afield as the Netherlands.

Durrani Associates, the company that developed the unique sealing technology, shipped its first consignment of these mangoes on May 24 to a buyer in Holland.

The fruit reached its destination in 28 days. By the time they were all sold, 46 days had passed since the mangoes had been picked and packed.

CEO of Durrani Associates, Qadeer Khan Durrani, told The Express Tribune “this development is the first of its kind in the entire world and it has opened up vast opportunities for Pakistani mangoes in Europe and other countries.”

Pakistan ranks fifth in terms of total production among 23 countries that grow mangoes. Roughly 1.8 million tons of the fruit has been produced this year, of which only 130,000 tons were exported. Experts say up to 60 per cent of these exports were sent to Dubai.

Durrani explained that sending mangoes to more distant destinations had limited prospects until recently. Airlines travelling from Pakistan to European countries carry only 18,000 tons of mangoes over the four-month season for the summer fruit.

Moreover, freight charges far exceed the cost of the produce. Durrani explained that “airlines charge freight at Rs120 per kg, while the mango itself is valued at about Rs30 per kg.” In addition to this, Rs18 per kg is charged as import duty in Europe.

By contrast, shipping costs stand around Rs15 per kg, while the import duty on fruits shipped by sea is only 16 paisa per kg.

Chairman Fruit and Vegetable Merchants Association, Waheed Ahmed, highlighted the significance of this cost saving and said “not only does it mean much higher profits for local producers, it will also save millions in foreign exchange that was previously being charged by foreign airlines as freight.”

Durrani asserted that his company has invested millions of rupees in research since 1983. He explained that hot water treatment is used to eliminate bacteria from the fruit before export.

However, his company has developed a “semi-sealing technology that helps preserve the freshness of mangoes after the heat treatment.”

So far Durrani Associates has shipped 100,000 tons of mangoes to the Netherlands in four shipments. But with a processing capacity of 15 tons per hour, the company is certain they can sharply increase exports to destinations like the United Kingdom, Hong Kong and the Netherlands.

The Netherlands imported 104,000 tons of the fruit in 2009. Only 200 tons of these mangoes were sold from Pakistan. Fruit exporters are confident that with the newly developed indigenous technology, Pakistan’s king of fruits will trump exports of previous years.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2010.