Sindh producers have so far exported 125,000 tonnes of mango to Europe, UK and Saudi Arabia. They are hopeful for better export prospects this season which would close by July 20.
Progressive growers like Ghulam Sarwar Abro and Junaid Hyder Shah believed that improved farm practices had helped them create their space in European markets where their mangoes are being liked.
Junaid Hyder Shah of Sindh Mango Growers and Exporters (SMGE) from Tando Allahyar, a lower Sindh region district, said our foreign customers’ base is widening as exporters are meeting basic requirement of hot water treatment. In 2014 they had exported 60,000 tonnes of mango and 0.1m tonnes in 2015.
Half a dozen Sindh’s mango producers are GAP (Good Agriculture Practices) certified farmers and managing their farms on their own to make inroads in foreign markets.
A delegation of Chinese quarantine officials had visited their farms along with Pakistan’s Department of Plant Protection in June’s first week to examine farm’s conditions and VHT process. However, outcome of their visit’s findings could not be known.
According to Sarwar Abro, 45 air shipments reached UK and four for Saudi Arabia successfully this season and two containers sent by sea to UK also would reach by July 17.
Amidst mango growers’ worries, Sindh produced famous ‘Sindhri’ variety of mango with 20-30 percent decline in production owing to climate change factor. Sindhri exports are now almost closed due to production shortfall.
Abro said that 60pc of labourers are allowed Eid celebrations leave while 40pc are still working on farms to meet export demands. Exporters are focusing high end super markets where our fruit has gained acceptability among customers, he said.
Chairman, Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA), Waheed Ahmed said exports had improved this season despite decline in Sindhri’s production. Pakistani mango’s freight on board (FoB) would be around $550- $800 per tonne, he anticipated.
Japan’s market could not be won because vapour heat treatment (VHT) plant’s condition had not been made functional by Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), he said adding exports had increased by 16pc in June as compared to corresponding period of last year.
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) Regional Standing Committee Chairman Ahmad Jawad said that the average export of Pakistani mangoes during the last five years was around 90,000 tonnes only despite the fact that the country produces around 1.8 million tonnes of mango annually but export volume has been very low (4-5% only) as a proportion of the total production.
Jawad said that a major restriction in the expansion of the Pakistani mango market is the inability to supply competitively high quality mangoes in a consistent manner in keeping with the demands of the supermarket chain. To enter into the high value export markets, we need to fix poor orchard management and post-harvest issues including inappropriate handling, immature fruit harvesting and inadequate transport. Improper grading and packaging were also key factors for the low export prices of mangoes.
According to an estimate, 30 to 40% of fruit is wasted from the harvest to the market system. Hence, saving on these losses would help to almost double the value of the mango industry of Pakistan, he added.
Ahmad Jawad has also called for establishing ripening centres to cater to the needs of sophisticated markets and for increasing mango export. "If ripening centres are established under PPP mode with proper facilities, the price of our mangoes in the world market would be doubled, in addition to an increase in the volume of mango exports," he added.
Pakistani mangos are naturally blessed with a Brix level of 18 to 22, which is ideal for any buyer and not available in any other country. However, he added that to maintain the uniformity of the Brix level in every mango carton, proper ripening centres were needed in areas of Punjab and Sindh.
"In high value markets, buyers prefer uniformity of Brix level in each consignment," he said adding that unfortunately Pakistan had failed to ensure this due to lack of technology.
Similarly in the absence of the much-needed Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT) plant, the Japanese market will remain untapped for the third consecutive year. VHT plant, which has already been imported with millions of rupees investment, is still idle as the concerned institution TDAP is yet to install it. "The dysfunctional VHT plant which is lying idle in Karachi is depriving the country of the highly valuable Japanese market where Pakistani mangoes could be sold at $4 to 5 per kg"
Treating mango at the VHT plant, Pakistan can initially export more than 400 tonnes to Japan, increasing the volume to thousands in the future, Jawad said and added that apart from Japan, doors have also been opened for Pakistani mangoes in China and Australia but these markets remain inaccessible until our fruit becomes compatible with the quality of other countries. "We also need to focus on research and development and improving the quality of fruit as per demand for international markets.
FPCCI Standing Committee Chairman further said our mango exporters also need training on quality management and an awareness of packing, packaging and labelling requirements of high end markets as well as adaption of modern refrigeration methodologies and development of proper infrastructure and that can be only done through coordinated efforts of all the stakeholders in public and private sectors.
