September 21, 2016
President Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF), President AKIA, Senior Vice Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and former provincial minister Mian Zahid Hussain on Wednesday said Pakistan has again missed target of mango exports with wide margin.
Government officials say that around ninety thousand tonnes of mango was exported against the target of one hundred and ten thousand tonnes while the private sector terms total exports between sixty and seventy thousand tonnes, he said.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that six years back Pakistan exported one hundred and thirty thousand tonnes of mango and the exports of this year are almost half of that indicating a steady decline.
The opening of Iranian market has not helped the situation as the season is coming to an end within day, he said, adding that exporters have put the blame for reduced exports on planters and the authorities.
The private sector stakeholders claim that apathy of the government and absence of proper incentives has taken toll on the exports as increased stress on quality around the world continue to add to their cost of doing business.
Mian Zahid said that apart from the private sector and Pakistani diplomats posted abroad, the TDAP also held mango shows in Italy, Morocco and Belarus to boost exports but to no avail.
He said that following the passage of eighth amendment has resulted in lot of confusion. Now the production is a provincial subject while export is a federal subject.
He said that growers have been ignoring new investments due to cost factor as orchards have grown old resulting in compromised quality and quantity that can result in loss of title of being 5th largest producer and 8th largest exporter of mango in the world.
Some of the issues that need immediate attention include poor orchard management, post-harvest issues like inappropriate handling, immature fruit harvesting, inadequate transport, improper grading, processing and packaging.
