Mango Misery

Pakistan, which is going to start the exports of mango of this season by May 25, has been estimated to face 30 percent reduction in production due to the impacts of climatic change in the country. The country is likely to produced only 1.2 million tones of mango against the production of 1.7 million tones recorded during the previous season. Last year 0.134 million tones of mango were exported against the target of 0.170 million tones out of the total production of 1.7 million tones generating revenue of at least $ 38 million.
This was informed by Waheed Ahmed Co Chairman, All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association (PFVA) while talking to Pakistan Today on Wednesday. He said that this year the target was fixed at 0.15 million tones with the estimated revenue generation of $ 50 million to the country.
The reduction in production, he said, was mainly because of the climatic change which hit the mango trees in many parts of the country including, Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Mirpurkhas and Mityari of Sindh and Multan, Rahim Yar Khan, Shuja Abad, Muzaffar Garh and Khane-e-wal of Punjab province.
Waheed Informed that, despite successful initiatives taken by PFVA in collaboration with Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to introduce the country’s honey mangoes in the US and Japanese markets, the exports of the fruit to the foreign country was unlikely to be started this year because of the lack of VHT plant facility in the country.
Though Japan had last year approved the mango tested through the existing small VHT facility in the country but it was not viable to use for commercial level of trade because of its functionality and capacity. Thus the exports to Tokyo were at least still a distant dream, he added.
Besides, the test and quality approval of mango in USA, in the absence of the quarantine facility in the country, was also not favorable for exports as no exporter could risk sending entire consignment to the foreign country before quality approval while bearing huge freight cost, he said. Thus the country’s honey mangoes were failed to make their debut in Japan, USA and Russia due to lack of funds for installing the VHT and radiation plant needed to qualify the value added markets of the foreign countries.
The proposal of Commercial Processing Plant and Common Facility Center has already been sent to the Ministry of Commerce but the ministry was yet to take any step for resolving the quality issue of the highly demanded fruit of the country.
Beside the two important foreign markets, the country was also losing the already established and tapped market in Iran because of the sanctions imposed by US and UNO as the commercial banks here were reluctant to get involve in the financial transactions. The lukewarm response by the Pakistani officials towards a genuine issue raised by the exporters regarding trade with the brotherly country Iran may also spell severe financial repercussion for the fruits’ export of the country. In view of the emerging critical situation, exporters were apprehensive about the future of their exports as Iran is regarded as a valuable market in terms of prompt payment for the imported fruits. The existing exports or smuggling via land routes to Tehran would also not benefit the country in terms of revenue, Waheed added. He further informed that a delegation of quarantine department of Australia was also due to visit Pakistan this month to inspect the mango farms and processing units in the country. The opening of Australian border for Pakistani mango, which is expected this year, would be an important development for the country’s fruits. It is worth mentioning here that mangoes, in the country, are also cultivated in Balochistan and N.W.F.P, the fruit is mainly grown in Sindh and southern Punjab. Mirpur Khas and Multan are noted for their huge mango gardens. Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Naushahroferoz, Khairpur (Mir’s), Rahim Yar Khan, Bhawalpur, Muzafargarh, Sheikhupura are important mango growing areas in the country. Mango production in Khanewal, Sahiwal, Vehari, Okara, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Sargodha etc is also considerable. Varieties of mangoes are various. Their number is infinite. But, only a select few have commercial significance. Some of the principal varieties of Pakistan are described here.
Out of the five kinds high quality mango Sindhri is the best of all varieties grown in Pakistan. The others were Chaunsa, Dasehri, Langra and Sonaro. Among a total of 75 mango export countries in the world Mexico, Philippines and Pakistan lead the list.