STAFF REPORT MULTAN: The government has emphasized on quality instead of quantity for the export of mangoes to European Union (EU) as it quite serious in meeting quarantine requirements to avoid possibility of ban on Pakistani mangoes, similar to the one imposed on Indian mangoes following detection of fruit flies.
The government and exporters are moving cautiously in view of the strict sanitary, phyto-sanitary and quarantine restrictions imposed by EC. Unless the mango consignments match the EU quarantine standards they will not be cleared for export.
“At least 100 mango farms have already been inspected and a list of approved farms has been sent to the Ministry for Food Security and Research,” said Dr Mubarak, Director General, Plant Protection Department (DPP), while addressing a recently held seminar organized by Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable, Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) in Multan.
Last year, Dr Mukhtar said, around 236 consignments were rejected by EU out of which at least 136 were of mango. This year more strict rules are expected to be there for imports of mango. He said that a ban on mango should not be placed as it will take years to be lifted in EU.
Waheed Ahmed, Co-Chairman PFVA, offered the growers at least 20 percent increased price for the qualified mango to EU which was welcomed by the growers.