Delays over mango airfreight rates are causing problems for Pakistani shippers a week before exports are due to start, reports www.thenews.com.pk.
Pakistan has set a mango export target of 0.15m tonnes worth US$50m this year starting from May 25, but Pakistan's commercial airlines have not yet released their charges – despite an industry request on May 1 – so exporters are unable to quote rates to their buyers, Waheed Ahmed, co-chairman All Pakistan Fruits and Vegetables Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) told The News on Monday (May 14).
Pakistan is this year expecting a 30 per cent decline in production to 1.2m tonnes down from 1.7m tonnes last year due to weather issues, the article said.
Mango plantations have suffered in Matyari and Mirpurkhas in Sindh and Multan, Rahimyar Khan, Muzzafar Garh and Khanewal in Punjab, Ahmed said.
Ahmed added that this year Pakistan’s export to two new markets Japan and the US would also suffer as the VHT plant installed by Japan in Pakistan was under-utilised, while mangoes exported to the US were expensive for consumers and exporters were not interested in this smaller market.
Due to international barriers on trade with Iran, mango exports of 30,000 tonnes to that market will also suffer, Ahmed said.
Last year, Pakistan exported 0.134m tonnes of mango worth US$38m.
