Pakistan: Mango export to miss target by around 60,000T
Majority of the fruit was exported to countries including Denmark, UK, France and some parts of far eastern countries, including Singapore and Malysia Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, UAE besides European countries.
It may be recalled here that this year export target was set at an ambitious 150,000 tonnes but lack of attention by the government to resolve pending issues of exporters and multiple hindrances they had to face during export process in the current year led to stifling export of mango.
Majority of mango exporters talking to scribe claimed during since the advent of the mango export season on May 25, mango export crawled at a snail pace on account of multiple hindrances faced by the exporters and apathy of Ministry of Commerce to take cognisance of the prevailing situation. The ministry officials in fact turned a blind eye towards burning issues of exporters giving them sleepless nights.
Former All Pakistan Vegetable and fruit Exporters Association chairman Abdul Waheed highlighting number of deterrent factors, attributed unnecessary bureaucratic hassles and delaying tactics used by the customs officials at Karachi port and Anti-Narcotic Force to prolong export process which caused rusting of the export consignments destined for different destinations.
Furthermore, a number of complaints were received by Pakistani exporters from importers across-the-globe relating to damage to shipments with short consignments indicating that reefer containers were tampered with and mango-laden cartons were stolen by customs officials creating poor image of the country.
In many cases, importers were found making financial deduction for the missed cartons having an adverse impact on exporters revenue.
Waheed replying to a query claimed that exporters are not demanding special favour from the government in view of their colossal financial losses but they expect subsidy or tax relief from the government to compensate their monetary losses. “If the government fails to respond to the major problems of mango exporters, national exchequer is likely to be the ultimate loser in terms of huge foreign revenue during the next season as every year it earns massive foreign revenue through mango fruit export,” he added.
According to him, proposals by exporters include enforcement of quality and grading standards, pre-shipment inspection and some incentives like subsidies on airfreights for exporters, which are long pending issues yet to implemented, which otherwise would have left salutary impact on the total export of the most desired fruit of the summer season.
Source: www.dailytimes.com.pk