Pakistan made 1st commercial shipment of 550 kilogram mangoes to Japan on Tuesday by Emirates, after Japan had lifted ban upon our exports of mangoes in March 2011 last year. Before this, 1700 kilogram mangoes were shipped to that country in 2011 which was a promotional shipment.
Japan’s import market is small ie they import about 12000 MT from the world; but its requirements are rather strict where they require a special vapour heat treatment of mangoes before importing the commodity. Japan is a high value market where Pakistani mangoes could be sold at around $10-12 per kg, which is way above the prices obtained from other markets. Pakistan has for the last two years availed the services of a Quarantine Officer of Japan, who comes to the country and supervises the treatment of mangoes before certifying their eligibility for export shipment to Japan. For this purpose, a small plant has been procured and installed by the government at Karachi Airport to facilitate above process.
In this regard, the government has procured a big commercial plant with the capacity of 15 tons per day which is likely to arrive in the country in the next month. For the purpose of its installation, a site near New Sabzimandi, Super Highway, Karachi has already been selected in consultation with the growers and the exporters of mangoes. TDAP intends to procure a piece of land at the above site from the government of Sindh in order to install the plant on expeditious basis. The plant would become a common facility centre and provide services, against a nominal fee/processing cost to all the intending exporters of mangoes to Japan.-PR
