KARACHI: The former chairman and spokesman of All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association (PFVA) said on Monday that the export of orange fruit was on full swing to the global markets as 4,000 containers worth USD $88.90 million had been exported, while possibility of export of potato to Russia during current week had also been brightened.

Wahid further said that the export volume of orange fruit to Russia had been restricted to 30% as compared to last year and the exporters were facing huge financial losses despite availability of good quality of Moroccan's oranges. The Russian market has been flooded with Pakistani oranges amid low price offered by this market. On other hand, a ban on import by Iran has further mutilated problems of the exporters.

Sharing good news, he stated that due to an increased demand of Pakistani potato in Gulf, Sri Lanka, Far-East, the export of potato had now reached 65,000 tons and out of the total production of 50 million ton, an additional three million ton was expected to be exported.

Chance of withdrawal of ban by Russian Quarantine on import of Pakistani potato was quite fair and it was strongly anticipated that the export of potato to Russia would commence in the current week, he further added.

The price of potato in local market is thrice of last year since it is being exported via land to Russia through Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq, and if price of potato is reduced locally, then 50,000 tons are expected to be exported to Russia, he further stated.

Despite low price of potato from India & Bangladesh, we are still striving hard to achieve export target of potato this year, Wahid said.