Fruit, vegetable exports: PFVA urges ban on wooden crates for shipment

Suggests use of corrugated cartons as per global standard.

KARACHI: All Pakistan Fruit, Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association (PFVA) has urged the government to ban the use of wooden crates as containers for exports as it damages the commodities during shipment.

In a letter written to different ministries on Thursday, the PFVA argued that the government’s ban on wooden crates will automatically force Pakistanis to switch to modern corrugated cartons, which will help the country in fetching better prices in the international market.

PFVA representatives said that most countries demand corrugated cartons to maintain hygienic conditions in their markets. UAE and Oman – the two neighbouring countries where Pakistan exports huge quantity of Mango and other fruits in wooden crates – are likely to ban imports from Pakistan because of the use of wooden crates.

“Any such ban on our exports because of the use of wooden crates will even hurt the quality exports in corrugated cartons that have much better quality standards,” the letter added.

The letter argued that there are many corrugated carton manufacturers in Pakistan who can sustain the demand that may shift after the government ban on the usage of wooden crates.

Pakistan is the only country in the region, which still allows the use of wooden crates in fruit and vegetable exports to UAE and Oman. However, most of the country’s fruit and vegetable exports are packaged in corrugated cartons as per the requirements of intentional standards.

PFVA representatives said that India fetches better prices in UAE and Oman markets because its exporters do not use unhygienic wooden crates in packaging.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2015.