As many as 13 Pakistani companies participated in the world’s leading 3-day international fresh produce trade fair ‘Fruit Logistica 2011’ that ended in Berlin, Germany on Friday.

According to a message received here, exhibitors from Pakistan are optimistic of substantial increase in export of fresh produce form Pakistan as they made good contacts with the international buyers of fruit and vegetable products.

Buyers form Russia showed keen interest in Pakistani Potatoes whereas Pakistani mangoes have also made inroads into European Union market with increase in shelf life through better processing technology and other corrective measures.

Earlier, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Germany Shahid Kamal visited Pakistani pavilion in the fair to meet with Pakistani traders. He also held a meeting with a 23-member delegation of mango growers of Pakistan, who visited the exhibition under USAID project of increasing incomes and generating additional employment in the major mango-growing areas of Southern Punjab and Northern Sindh.

On this occasion the Ambassador said that the world’s leading exhibition provided great opportunity for promotion, development and marketing of fruits and vegetable products. He said that there was a need of more intensive interaction between farmers and exporters to upgrade quality of fruit and vegetable products.

He said that their was a growing market for Pakistani fruits, especially mangoes and Pakistani traders should give due importance to fruit processing and packaging for longer perseverance.

He urged the traders to spend a reasonable amount of their income on research and development, which is essential to keep pace with the ever changing market trends.

Over 2,450 exhibitors from 84 countries presented a comprehensive overview of all levels of fruit and vegetable production and marketing and more than 50,000 trade visitors from 130 countries visited the exhibition and made business contacts.