Russia interested in importing potatoes from Pakistan

Orders for around 50,000-100,000 tons of potatoes from Russia likely.

KARACHI: Russia has shown interest in importing between 50,000 and 100,000 tons of potatoes from Pakistan.

A delegation of Pakistani fruit and vegetable exporters is currently in Russia and is on the verge of finalising orders for potatoes, according to the head of the delegation and the former president of the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association, Abdul Waheed Ahmed.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Ahmed said that potatoes are a large part of Russian cuisine and Pakistan had exported 2,000 tons of the vegetable a year ago. Russia also imports potatoes from Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Brazil. This year, Russia is facing a shortage of the crop and has decided to import additional potatoes.

Ahmed said that Pakistani exporters have met officials of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and the plant protection department and pledged to submit their proposals by January 15. According to Ahmed, Pakistan can export 50,000-100,000 tons of potatoes at a price of $250-270 per ton.

Pakistan exports potatoes to Iran, Central Asia, Afghanistan, the Middle East and Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is the country’s largest export market where 70,000 tons of potatoes were sold last year. However, it seems that Russia might be another large export market for Pakistani farmers with orders for potatoes following demand for kinnows.

Pakistan produces 2.7 to 2.8 million tons of potatoes and local consumption is 1.5 million tons. An estimated 200,000 tons of potatoes are exported every year.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 22^nd, 2010.