Arooj Zulfiqar

China offers Pakistan a huge market to earn sizable foreign exchange by exporting different varieties of mangoes, reports WealthPK. In this regard, a delegation of Chinese importers recently visited the Sindh Agricultural University, Tandojam and expressed interest in the mango varieties. They spoke to scientists and progressive farmers about the business opportunities in Sindh's mango-producing regions. It was mutually decided to promote the Mango Value Addition Programme in order to gain access to the lucrative international markets.

The Sindh Agriculture University is working on mango value addition, processing and by-products, and such products are of export quality. The Chinese investors plan to import 6,000 tons of mangoes from Sindh and Punjab. In the initial phase, they'll import 6,000 tons of mangoes for processing. They were looking for mangoes that were rich in pulp and could be grown from May to September.

Pakistan exported 37.4 tons of fresh and dried mango to China from January to September 2021, which represented a 10-time increase compared with the last year. However, this export figure is not an unsurpassable amount given the huge size of the Chinese market. The Pakistani mango accounts for less than 0.36% of China’s total mango imports. So, there exists a huge potential for exploration, which entails joint efforts for more Pakistani mangoes to enter the Chinese market.

Talking to WealthPK, Senior Scientific Officer at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Dr Nur Ullah said China had already helped Pakistan in several challenges, and with its advanced technology, Pakistan could also overcome this challenge. “Pakistan needs to strengthen its ties with China to modernize its farming practices, improve its competitiveness in the global markets, and generate foreign cash,” he emphasized. "Moreover, for mangoes to grow well, drip irrigation should be used, which supplies small amounts of water only where needed."

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk