Small shelf life hurts mango exports from Pakistan
Shahid ShahFriday, August 12, 2011
KARACHI: Pakistani mango is one of the best in taste, but fetches lowest prices in the export market because the quality of fruit deteriorates before it reaches retail counters.
“While there is a great international demand for Pakistani mango, there are complaints about quality of the fruit that reaches retail markets. That’s why price of Pakistani mango in international markets is low,” said Harvest Tradings CEO Ahmad Jawad.
Pakistan is the fourth largest mango producer after India, China and Mexico. Its average annual production of the fruit is 1.7-1.8 million tons, cultivated on an area of 166,000 hectares.
Punjab occupies a dominant position with a share of more than 70 percent followed by Sindh with 20 percent. Chaunsa is the main variety along with Sindhri, Dasehri, Langra, Anwer Ratole and Fajr.
India, China, Mexico, Thailand, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia, Brazil and Egypt are the top ten mango producing countries of the world.
USA’s mango imports are the highest (43.2 percent) in the world. China, Hong Kong, Netherlands, UAE, France, Malaysia, UK, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Singapore are the other major importers.
Jawad said 85 percent of Pakistani mangoes are shipped to Dubai and find their way into consumer markets of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other countries of the Middle East.
India beats Pakistan, not because of quality, but because of a stronger functioning export mechanism, rigorous international marketing and a strategic mango diplomacy undertaken by their envoys in all parts of the world.
Pakistan, on the other hand, has a unique but unsophisticated network of 6-7 intermediaries running between growers and end-users due to the presence of many unnecessary layers in the export loop.
Consequently, when the product arrives in the global market, costs reach such levels where price-conscious consumers opt for the low-cost product, which favours the rivals of Pakistani.
As a result of this mindless policy, 30-40 percent of the produce gets spoiled before reaching the end consumer, mainly due to many cooks present in the export kitchen and lack of adequate marketing facilities, he said. “We need to revamp the entire export system by eliminating unnecessary involvement of stakeholders from the race.”
Jawad said Pakistani mangoes had no rival in the global market in terms of quality, sweetness, flavour, fibres, aroma and the softness of its contents. These unique qualities of Pakistani mangoes are inherited from a fine mix of unique soil and season.
Political and social unrest in the Middle East and drastic reduction in prices by India have sidelined Pakistan.
CEO Harvest Tradings suggested the government needs to stress the United Stated of America, the biggest buyer of Asian mangoes, to relax its policies and procedures for Pakistani mango export.
“We must focus on Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore in Asia and the Netherlands, France, UK, Germany and Australia for enhancing mango exports from Pakistan.”
Shahid ShahFriday, August 12, 2011
KARACHI: Pakistani mango is one of the best in taste, but fetches lowest prices in the export market because the quality of fruit deteriorates before it reaches retail counters.
“While there is a great international demand for Pakistani mango, there are complaints about quality of the fruit that reaches retail markets. That’s why price of Pakistani mango in international markets is low,” said Harvest Tradings CEO Ahmad Jawad.
Pakistan is the fourth largest mango producer after India, China and Mexico. Its average annual production of the fruit is 1.7-1.8 million tons, cultivated on an area of 166,000 hectares.
Punjab occupies a dominant position with a share of more than 70 percent followed by Sindh with 20 percent. Chaunsa is the main variety along with Sindhri, Dasehri, Langra, Anwer Ratole and Fajr.
India, China, Mexico, Thailand, Philippines, Pakistan, Nigeria, Indonesia, Brazil and Egypt are the top ten mango producing countries of the world.
USA’s mango imports are the highest (43.2 percent) in the world. China, Hong Kong, Netherlands, UAE, France, Malaysia, UK, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Singapore are the other major importers.
Jawad said 85 percent of Pakistani mangoes are shipped to Dubai and find their way into consumer markets of Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other countries of the Middle East.
India beats Pakistan, not because of quality, but because of a stronger functioning export mechanism, rigorous international marketing and a strategic mango diplomacy undertaken by their envoys in all parts of the world.
Pakistan, on the other hand, has a unique but unsophisticated network of 6-7 intermediaries running between growers and end-users due to the presence of many unnecessary layers in the export loop.
Consequently, when the product arrives in the global market, costs reach such levels where price-conscious consumers opt for the low-cost product, which favours the rivals of Pakistani.
As a result of this mindless policy, 30-40 percent of the produce gets spoiled before reaching the end consumer, mainly due to many cooks present in the export kitchen and lack of adequate marketing facilities, he said. “We need to revamp the entire export system by eliminating unnecessary involvement of stakeholders from the race.”
Jawad said Pakistani mangoes had no rival in the global market in terms of quality, sweetness, flavour, fibres, aroma and the softness of its contents. These unique qualities of Pakistani mangoes are inherited from a fine mix of unique soil and season.
Political and social unrest in the Middle East and drastic reduction in prices by India have sidelined Pakistan.
CEO Harvest Tradings suggested the government needs to stress the United Stated of America, the biggest buyer of Asian mangoes, to relax its policies and procedures for Pakistani mango export.
“We must focus on Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore in Asia and the Netherlands, France, UK, Germany and Australia for enhancing mango exports from Pakistan.”
