Prospects for Pakistani mango exporters keep looking up, with the first commercial shipment of mangoes to Japan shipped this month after the country lifted a 16 year ban on Pakistani mangoes last year, The News reports.
An official at the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan said the shipment comprised of 550kgs of fresh mangoes.
While Japan’s import market is fairly small and requires a special vapour heat treatment of mangoes before it will accept imports, the high prices make it worthwhile for importers.
“Japan is a high-value market where Pakistani mangoes could be sold at around US$10-12 per kg, which is way above the prices obtained from other markets,” the TDAP official told The News.
He added that Pakistani officials had been working with Japanese quarantine officers to secure their approval to recommence shipments for the past two years.
To help facilitate the process, a small plant had been procured and installed by the government at Karachi Airport.
A second commercial plant with the capacity to process 15 tonnes per day has also been acquired, which is expected to arrive in Pakistan in September this year.
