Pakistan targets 100,000 tons of mango exports this season

KARACHI: Pakistan is all set to start mango exports from May 20, 2019, eyeing a target of 100,000 metric tons this year, amid a sizable production loss, primarily owing to climate change-led extreme weather conditions, an official said on Thursday.

Waheed Ahmed, patron-in-chief of All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA), said total production of mango in Pakistan is around 1.8 million tons. “However, due to severe impact of climate change, production reduced 30 percent in the season, leading to an anticipated total output of 1.2 million tons.”

Ahmed said stormy weather, unexpected heavy rains and hail had damaged mango orchards in Sindh by 10 percent and in Punjab by around 35 percent, which brought the total production to around 1.2 million tons.

For achieving the set export target, he said, besides favorable season, support as well cooperation from shipping and airline companies, quarantine department, Anti-Narcotics Force, Customs, and other related agencies was also required.

“With an increase in prices of petroleum products, the cost of domestic transportation and logistics has also gone up, while with the devaluation of rupee, freight charges have also increased, making it further difficult for the exporters to remain competitive in the international markets,” the PFVA official said.

Ahmed added that last year, 75,000 tons of mangoes were exported, while the country was anticipated to earn foreign exchange of $80 million by exporting 100,000 tons during the current season.

“China and USA, in particular, would be focus of attention for an additional export volume during this year, while special mango promotion campaigns would also be conducted in European Union countries,” Ahmed said.

He informed that around 70 percent of mango was exported by sea, while 15 percent each was sent abroad via land and air routes.

“With reduction in frequency of flights this year from Pakistan announced by the Emirates Airline, it would further multiply the problems of mango exporters,” he said.

With a deep concern, Ahmed said climate change had emerged as the biggest challenge for the agriculture and horticulture produces.

“Thirty percent reduction in production of mango during the current season reinforces our concern about serious potential climatic change threat,” the PFVA official said and added however, no clear and well-defined policy had so far been developed to safeguard agriculture and horticulture sectors from this severe threat.

He said the PFVA had formulated policy for the rapid development of horticulture sector termed as “Horticulture Vision - 2030 (HV-2030), which proposes short-, medium-, and long-term solutions and the road map.

“In light of recommendations proposed in the HV-2030, a national policy on the horticulture can be developed which can encounter the serious challenges in the agriculture and horticulture sectors,” Ahmad said.