ISLAMABAD: Mango export from Pakistan to the European Union has increased by 8,500 metric ton than the last year.
A well-placed source at the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) told Customs Today that this year mangoes’ export was 90,500 metric ton against 82,000 metric ton in 2013. The Pakistani mangoes also got better price this year.
Sources said that the government had declared hot water treatment a must for mangoes export to EU which brought good response from the European customers because the number of rejected consignments was only two, while 237 mango consignments were rejected in 2013.
“Actually, the hot water treatment improves the quality of mango which was welcomed in the European markets” the sources added, saying that MoC had also directed the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to switch on vapor heat treatment from the beginning of mango season to get proper treatment of mangoes at an appropriate cost.
It is pertinent to mention here that in June this year, the British Department of Plant Protection (DPP), one of the 14 organisations that work under the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, further tightened procedures for fruit exports to European countries after the second shipment of Pakistani mangoes to UK, infested with fruit flies, was intercepted.
A notification from DPP stated that from now onwards all mango consignments — bound for European countries — would be cleared only from the DPP Karachi office. The regulatory powers of all other stations had been suspended since June 27, 2014. All mango shipments to these two countries would also get clearance from DPP’s Karachi office.
It was for the first time in the country’s history that Pakistan is going to export mangoes to the European Union (EU) in such an arrangement that the fruit can be traced back to farms and even trees where it grew – a well-known global practice.
Private as well as state officials believe that these safety measures will bring revolutionary changes in the industry as the government going to apply this model to export of other fruits and vegetables.
It is also worth mentioning that In May, All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association (PFVA) set a target of exporting 175,000 tons of mangoes worth $ 65 million this year.
The export was all set to start from May 25 and may last till October. The target, in terms of tonnage, was similar to the previous year; however, the worth of the set exporting target is $5 million more than last year.
