Pakistan yet to export mangoes to Japan

Pakistan yet to export mangoes to Japan

TOKYO: This year around too Pakistan might not be able to export mangoes to Japan because of the inability of the concerned authorities – Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and the ministry of commerce – to set up vapour heat treatment plant to treat the tropical fresh fruits, official sources said on Thursday. The Japanese government lifted the ban on Pakistani mangoes three years ago on the condition that mangoes must be sterilised before being shipped to Japan.

 

Japanese importers are much interested to export Pakistani mangoes but they are yet to benefit from the lift of ban.

 

Sources said that in the beginning the TDAP had decided to purchase VHT plant from Japan with the initial outlay of two million dollars. However, the deal had been cancelled due to an alleged involvement of mafia, which could not get kickbacks in the deal.

 

Later, a new agreement was signed with Thailand and Korea in this regard. That could also not succeed.

 

TDAP also issued tender for local companies to buy and set up VHT plant. However, the tender was cancelled – leading to further delay in start of mango exports, they said. Notably, the Japanese government provided Pakistan with a VHT plant. Yet, its capacity is very little.

 

Official sources said that the government had been pushing exporters to get their mangoes treated in the plant – which was not practically possible and said to vitiate the quality of bulk quantity.

 

Japanese government is planning to send its VHT experts to Pakistan to test out the machine, they said.

 

With mango export from Pakistan having already started, the likelihood of its exports to Japan seems overcast, said an official.