Pakistan urged to boost fruits, vegetable exports

Pakistan must explore new markets for its fruit and vegetables exports because it currently relies heavily on a few countries, a top researcher and exporter said on Sunday.Most of Pakistan’s mango export goes to the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, CEO Harvest Tradings Ahmad Jawad said.Similarly, over 90 per cent of Pakistan’s fresh apple export is made to Sri Lanka. “There is a need to explore new markets for Pakistani fruit and vegetables to expand export base,” Jawad added.Kinnow is the most exportable fruit of Pakistan and 32.5 per cent of its total export is made to the Middle East alone, followed by Indonesia (22.5 per cent), Philippines (16 per cent) and Sri Lanka (11.6%). This year a huge quantity of Kinnow was exported to Afghanistan.Pakistan has achieved its kinnow export target for 2010-11 by exporting about 300,000 metric tons in 2010-11. Citrus was grown on an area of about 199,000 hectares with annual production of 2,458,000 metric tons, most of it in Sargodha.Pakistan exported about 130,000 tons mango last year. It produces over 1.6 million tonnes of mangoes annually. Jawad said this year Pakistani mangoes were also exported to US, which was a big milestone, but due to high cost Pakistani mango would remain beyond the reach of the common man in the United States, he said. Pakistan exports fruit and vegetables to US, Europe, Middle East, Far East, India and Sri Lanka.Mango, kinnow, apple, dates, pine nuts, oranges, banana and guava are the main fruit exports of the country. Major vegetable exports are potato, onion, mushroom, garlic and chillies.Pakistan last year exported agriculture products worth Rs288.18 billion including food grains, vegetables, fruit, tobacco, fisheries products, spices and livestock.Pakistan during 2009-10 exported Rs20 billion worth of fruit, Rs19 billions worth of fish products, Rs1.15 billion worth of tobacco and tobacco products, Rs180 billion worth of rice including Basmati and Irri-6, Rs10 billion worth of vegetables, Rs10 billion worth of livestock and meat products, Rs2.25 billion worth of spices, Rs13.78 billion worth of oilseeds and nuts and Rs32 billion worth of other agriculture products. From / Gulf Today