KARACHI: According to a notification of the Ministry of Commerce, the local exporters will be able to begin their export from May 25.
- The tasty and fully grown sindhri or chaunsa varieties would be available by May’s end or the first week of June, according to sources.
- Fully ripened mangoes will be available with great shape and taste in the hot weather conditions that are essential for the ripening of fruit.
Considering the delay in mango season owing to global warming, the government has extended the commencement date of mango export to May 25,2021.
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) former chief of agriculture committee Ahmad Jawad told “We used to kick-start mango export in mid-May, but due to changes in environment the mango season now begins late, therefore the government has decided to start export accordingly,”
One reason for the delay was that when the date was earlier, the exporters were tempted to resort to different artificial methods of mango ripening, which in the long term could hurt the credibility of Pakistan, he said.
Harvesting of mango varieties like saroli, though prematurely, has started and reached Punjab’s market. However, the harvested produce lacks colour and taste. The produce that reached the market did fetch a better price but rates dropped as more supplies were made by contractors of mango orchards. The arrival of Punjab’s mango crop into the market begins late.
Mr Arain believes mangoes from Naukot area (Mirpurkhas region) start ripening as soon as the hot desert air touches the area. However, mangoes from Hyderabad and other districts take time to make their presence felt in market.
Nawab Zubair Talpur, a growers’ leader, subscribes to Mr Arain’s view, saying that he let out his farm to a contractor who opted for early harvesting of fruit in neighbouring orchard of 100 acres. “I told him the mangoes he is harvesting won’t have taste at this point of time and it’s early to pluck them. But he shot back saying that he is fetching a better price,” says Mr Talpur.
This year Mr Talpur let out his 40-acre orchard in Tando Mohammad Khan for Rs4.5 million against last year’s price of Rs3.5m. “Actually, markets in our country revolve around the middlemen. For instance, I am getting Rs10kgprice for watermelon at my farm and consumers purchase it at Rs40-Rs50 per kilo. Same goes for mangoes” he says.
Pakistan produces around 1.9 million tons of mangoes while it exports around 120,000 tons. This year, however, it expects to export more as it has gained access to the Chinese market.
Pakistani mangoes are expected to enter the Chinese market on a large scale this summer. Last year, Pakistan held a mango tasting event in Shanghai and the feedback from Chinese consumers was very positive, said Jawad.
Rains coupled with hailstorm and dust storm prove damaging for orchards as unripe mangoes fall in large numbers.
“Rainfall and hailstorm are normal phenomenon and the damage caused by them are not substantial. By and large the crop is healthy and looks in good shape,” says Mahmood Nawaz Shah, a mango grower and exporter. He explains that fully ripened mangoes always take time to develop shape and taste.
Mr Shah informed.“Sindhri will eventually reach market by May’s end or June’s first week if someone is interested in eating fully nourished and colourful sindhri otherwise race is always there among contractors to capitalize on market.”
