South Korea has lifted a 12-year ban on Pakistani mangoes, opening up lucrative future export opportunities for Pakistan's exporters, reports Islamabad-based grower-shipper Harvest Tradings.
Harvest Tradings director of planning Azam Ishaque said the South Korean mango market could generate millions of dollars for Pakistani exporters.
“This is great news for Pakistan this year, as last year Japan lifted the ban of Pakistani mangoes,” he said in a statement.
South Korea requires Pakistani mangoes to undergo hot water treatment prior to export, which is cheaper and more easily available in Pakistan than the Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT) stipulated by Japan, Ishaque added.
"The South Korean government has not put any condition on the processing of mangoes under vapour heat treatment plant, which is a very expensive process and not fully available in Pakistan and we welcome this kind gesture," he said.
"We immediately need at least two huge VHT plants of a minimum capacity of 50 tonnes each, one at Karachi and the other at Lahore from the government."
