Ahmad Jawad, the former chairman of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s Standing Committee on Agriculture has stated that, although mango production has dropped significantly this year due to climate change-related challenges, this has nothing to do with the decline in mango exports.
He pointed out that Pakistan had ample production compared with the target of mango exports. “Even if our mango production drops by 40%, we can easily meet the export target of 0.2 million tons,” he said in a statement. “Unfortunately, mango exports have stagnated over the last couple of years due to the lack of infrastructure and we are making maximum efforts to take the volume up to 175,000 tons.”
Jawad stressed that the export volume may be enhanced by developing the required infrastructure so that shipments could be started by sea.
The official urged the Export Development Fund (EDF) to set up modern fruit ripening centres at seaports with the latest Controlled Atmosphere Stores to facilitate the export of the king of fruit on the public-private partnership model.
Source: tribune.com.pk
Photo source: Dreamstime.com