Pakistan mango exports to S Korea

After a period of 13 years Pakistan has started exporting mangoes to South Korea with 2,500 kg worth of mangoes being shipped to the country last month. Commercial counsellor of the Pakistan embassy in South Korea Fuad Hashim Rabbani said that the first delivery had received a very good response from Korean clients and buyers were now importing another 20 to 25 tonnes spread over eight shipments during the course of this month. Rabbani further said that South Korean clients will import another two tonnes of green salad mango from Pakistan. The Korean quarantine inspector is leaving Korea today and will be in Pakistan for pre-shipment clearance from August 1 to 25, 2012. The taste of the Pakistani mango has been liked in South Korea, which raises hopes for increased future exports, he said. Meanwhile, cost, conditions stop mango export to US from Pakistan. There will be no export of mangoes to the United States this year because of exorbitant landed cost and extremely restrictive conditions imposed by the US, exporters of the king of fruits said here on Monday. Two years ago US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had offered Pakistan help in exporting mangoes to the US and last year some limited quantities had reached the US market. “Our cost of production increases to maintain international standards, but we cannot export a single mango to the US this season because of restrictions,” said Mango Growers Association President Maj (retd) Tariq Khan. The United States Department of Agriculture and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service had imposed a condition Pakistan for irradiating mango and vegetables before exporting to the US. Pakistan had spent Rs300 million to establish irradiation plant by the Pakistan Energy Commission, but US experts objected to the plant and declared that it was not reliable and was dubious. “There is politics. If the US recognises our irradiation plant it would support and justify our nuclear programme. Pakistan’s first food Irradiation Treatment Plant (ITP) is a complete set and benefits to dry fruits and dehydrate food storage and eliminating insect infestation,” said a senior plant protection official. From gulftoday