ISLAMABAD: With the government’s intervention, major issues pertaining to the export of mangoes have been resolved, making it easier to achieve the export target of 80,000 metric tonnes for the ongoing season.
According to exporters, the federal government has opened the country’s borders with Afghanistan and Iran for the export of mangoes and vegetables, giving priority to the trucks carrying these perishable items. In addition, they informed, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has also announced concessional air freight charges for mango exporters.
As per the sources, burning issues like mango exports via land route through Pak-Iran borders and high air freight charges by the national carrier were highlighted effectively during a recent parliamentary committee meeting.
The meeting was apprised of the plight of exports and growers in the wake of coronavirus and subsequent lockdowns. It was informed that mango export consignments worth millions of dollars were going to waste due to inordinate delays in the opening of borders.
In addition, the meeting was told that the exporters were also encountering problems due to high freight cost by foreign carriers.
The National Assembly’s Special Committee on Agriculture Products paid specific attention to the exporters’ concerns and requested to convene an urgent session to address these issues.
During the session, sources said, all concerned federal ministers and secretaries displayed great team spirit and within a short span of three days managed to resolve the key issues.
