STAFF REPORT FBD: Owning to climate change in Pakistan especially in the mango growing areas, mango growers and experts fear reduction in the overall yield by at least 30 per cent as well as decrease in mango exports.
“In 2011, the Pakistani mango growers succeeded in making a breakthrough in exporting to the US. However, this year, with the fall in yield, they stand to lose this advantage,” All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association (PFVA) Chairman Waheed Ahmed has told the media.
He said that for the current year, the government has set a target for export of mangoes up to 150,000 metric tons and generation of an estimated $50 million.”, he said. He pointed out that in the year 2011 134,000 tons of mangoes had been exported which fetched about $38 million.
“There is insufficient infrastructure like storage, standardisation and required machinery and equipment to deal with adverse weather,” Aftab Khan Kahichi, a leading mango grower of Vehari said.
Ateam of experts has recently stressed the need for taking measure to increase export of mango by improving its quality, packaging and complying with international standards required under the WTO regime.