KARACHI: The All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetables Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) has raised concern over mango production and export, fearing the export target may be missed owing to the poor strategy of the Department of Plant Protection (DPP).
Mango exporters say on the one hand mango production recorded 20 per cent drop and on the other achieving the export target of 125,000 tonnes has become a distant possibility because of DPP’s new SOP (standard operating procedure).
According to the association, the DPP on June 12 issued a new SOP requiring hot water treatment (HWT) of mangoes mandatory from the approved plants only.
“Due to this discriminatory policy and favouritism of the DPP, 90 per cent of the 35 plants have been shut down, resulting in a loss of $44 million due to the closure of HWT plants which were not issued no-objection certificates (NOCs) by the DPP.
Around 2,500 labour (skilled and unskilled) employed in these plants have rendered jobless due to the closure of these plants while 6,000 labour working with growers have been badly affected as well, the PFVA further say.
The association’s chairman, Muhammad Shehzad Sheikh said exporters had already confirmed orders of mangoes from various countries, but the non-operational status of HWT plants by the DPP had halted the orders.
India would take advantage of the situation, avail the confirmed orders and would capture these international markets for future as well, he added.
