MULTAN: Pakistan exports only 6 per cent of its total mango production as a lion’s share is used locally.
Pakistan has the largest mango cluster in the world sprawling over 370 kilometres which starts from Kabirwala and culminates at Fazilpur, Rahimyar Khan, said Mango Research Institute Director Mushtaq Alvi, while talking to APP here on Monday. He said that the crop was bumper this year adding that last year no consignment of the country returned due to fruit fly issue.
The MRI director said that they had recommended Punjab government to install up to 10 new hot water treatment plants because existing 9 did not serve the purpose in the province.
Replying a question Alvi said that Guava was the house to fruit fly as it kept on producing fruit round the year adding that they had advised farmers not to plant guava in mango orchards to refrain from the issue. To another question, he informed that when the fruit drops from the tree, the farmers should bury it in the soil because 80 pc of fruit fly problem was resolved by adopting this procedure.
