Pakistani growers are reporting post-harvest losses of up to 40 per cent, linked to limited cold storage infrastructure and ongoing energy outages affecting supply chains across the country.
The shortage of cold storage capacity remains a constraint for agricultural producers, contributing to high levels of loss in perishable crops such as fruit and vegetables. The situation is compounded by unreliable energy supply, which affects the operation of existing cold chain systems and limits the ability to preserve produce and move it to market.
These losses are adding pressure on farm margins, particularly as growers also face rising input costs. Without adequate storage, a large share of production deteriorates before reaching consumers or processing facilities.
The combined effect of infrastructure gaps and power disruptions is also affecting supply chains. Reduced availability of fresh produce is contributing to higher prices in domestic markets, while growers face income losses.
The gap between existing cold storage capacity and sector requirements remains an ongoing issue. Without investment in cold chain logistics and improvements in energy supply, post-harvest losses are expected to continue.
At the same time, Pakistan's processed fruit sector is expanding its export reach. Processed fruit exports have entered the Japanese market, which has strict import requirements and quality standards.
This development indicates that while fresh produce handling remains constrained by infrastructure, processed fruit exports are gaining access to new markets. Entry into Japan may support further diversification of export destinations and increase export revenues from the agricultural sector.
The contrast between post-harvest losses in fresh produce and export growth in processed fruit highlights the role of infrastructure and supply chain efficiency in market access.
Source: PakistanToday
