LAHORE: A four-member of Chinese investors, led by Huang Xin Jian, visited Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and industry (PCJCCI) and extended their help to improve quality of Pakistani fruit.
Huang Xin Jian, addressing the PCJCCI members, said that Pakistan and China can collaborate to initiate fruit quality enhancement centres, fruit processing units, dehydration plants and cold storage chains to make Pakistani fruits in line with the international standards for export to world markets.
Huang lauded the endeavours and ideas of PCJCCI President Shah Faisal Afridi for the development of fruit sector of Pakistan. He said that this sector in Pakistan is having enormous potential that can be beneficial for both countries. In this regard, he suggested forming a preliminary research team in order to put ideas into practice. He further informed that his delegation had visited Pakistan with a focus to import fresh, processed and dry fruit from Pakistan, which would be re-exported to rest of the world after value addition.
Earlier Shah Faisal Afridi, president PCJCCI, in a welcome note, said that Pakistan produces a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, with total annual production estimated at 9 million metric tons. This includes citrus 989,000 metric tons, mangoes 438,000 metric tons, apples 525,000 metric tons, guavas 126,000 metric tons, apricots and other fruits 1.914 million tons, other fruits include bananas, grapes, pomegranates, pears and dates.
