Damages due to storms, climatic hazards Pakistan may miss mango export target

Pakistan may miss mango export target, as storm and hot weather damaged 70 percent of the crop in Punjab. Waheed Ahmed, Chairman Research and Development, Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association (PFVA) has said that during the last few weeks four storms hit the mangos orchard in Punjab, which produces 65 of the fruit. "Some 70 percent mango in Punjab has been damaged by climatic hazards causing shortage of the fruit in the local market and any other storm may increase losses," he added.
He said that the damages to crop in Punjab was a major risk to the target of mango export for this year and the country was unlikely to meet 0.1 million tons export target for the season. The country has so far exported 41,000 tons mango with estimated revenue of $22.55 million in this season. Mango was mainly exported to UAE, Gulf States, Central Asian states, EU, Australia, US and Canada, he informed.
Pakistani mango was being sold at high price in international market because of its better quality and enhanced demand in the holy month of Ramazan. The exporters were selling mango at average price of $550 per ton as compared to the price of $300 per ton received by them last year. However, he said that despite huge demand and better price in the international market, the mango export target is seem difficult to meet this year due to the massive losses to the mango crop.
Pakistan's mango export was kicked off on May 20, 2015 and with implementations of new measures to ensure quality, exporters were expecting 10 percent increase in mango export and 20 to 25 percent jump in revenue during this mango season. Last year Pakistan has exported 94,000 tons mango worth $48 million, while this year mango export was estimated 0.1 million tons by earning foreign exchange amounting $60 million for the country.
Waheed said that despite growers, traders and exporters associated with mango have faced billions of rupees worth losses following the fresh damages, PFVA is doing all its best to meet the target but the jump in price of mango by 25 percent in the local market was making the goal difficult this year.
"Pakistani horticultural sector has become most vulnerable to the global warming and other climatic change. In order to effectively deal with the growing situation for horticultural products government is needed to take steps on emergency basis," he urged. He said that the prevailing situation is feared to pose irreparable damages to agricultural sector ultimately creating a threat to national food security.
Waheed has requested the federal government to take emergency measures in co-ordination with provincial governments to minimise the losses to agricultural sector, which is the backbone of national economy. It is feared that the country may be forced to import many agricultural items in cases it fails to make strategy to deal with the threat like global warming and other climatic hazards, he said.