The private sector has urged the government for extending support to vegetable and fruit exporters to enhance export volume and value in the next five years with incentives, as majority Pakistani’s belongs to rural areas depends on agriculture.
Chief Executive Officer of Harvest Tradings Ahmad Jawad in a statement here said that during the period from July to August 2011 about 86,675 metric tons fruits of different varieties worth $ 43.8 million were exported from the country.
He added that Fruit and vegetable sector brings heavy foreign exchange to the country. Mr.Jawad said about 47,340 metric ton only vegetables were exported during the period from July to August 2011 and added US$ 19.42m in national foreign accounts reserves. He said in the last decades, horticulture crop production has increased from 11. 3 million tones to 13.7 million tones.
The production analysis shows that the share of fruits and vegetables is 48.6 percent and 51.4 percent respectively in thethe major fruit crops, citrus, mango, dates, guava and apple contribute 30 percent, 25 percent, nine percent, nine percent and five percent respectively in production while in vegetable production potato, onion and tomato share 29 percent, 25 percent and six percent respectively.
Out of 14.5 million ton annual production of fruits and vegetables worth around two billion dollars, over half a million ton horticulture products costing 230 million dollars are exported as average export price/unit by Pakistan, is the lowest in the world due to low quality and low end markets; Jawad added.
The CEO Harvest Tradings further said that while Pakistani Kinnows are being shipped via the sea to overseas destinations through some efforts of private sector, fruits such as mangoes and dates are lagging behind due to the lack of good infrastructural facilities in the country. Consequently, these fruits have to be dispatched by air, which, being dearer than sea shipments, increases costs tremendously for exporters.
The potential for increasing export of premium quality of horticultural produce, offering multiple employment opportunities throughout the supply chain, particularly in rural areas. Its growth and profitability is, however, restrained mainly due to lack of proper pro-harvest management and transport infrastructure, he said.
Jawad further urged that long policy should also be drawn for the export of Fruits and Vegetables through Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce to the Government.