Mango processing unit starts its operations

[SHAMK9]

KARACHI: In a major development for mango exports of the country, one of the biggest hot water treatment plants of mangoes in the world has started its operations in Karachi that will help in finding new important markets for exports.
Speaking at the launch ceremony on Saturday, Pakistan Hortifresh Processing Private Limited Chief Executive Babar Khan Durrani said that the hot water treatment plant will enable Pakistan to export its mangoes to new markets.
The new countries include South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Iran, Lebanon and Jordon while Australia is expected to soon approve imports as they recently inspected the facility, he added.
The plant is setup with public private partnership with an investment of Rs230 million out of which Rs80 million have been provided by Federal Minister for Commerce Makhdoom Amin Faheem.
Pakistan Hortifresh Processing will manage the plant but since it has pubic investment, the plant infrastructure will be used as a common facility centre for all mango exporters of the country.
The treatment plant not only improves the physical appearance of mangoes but it also removes fruit diseases owing to which many countries are reluctant to import Pakistani fruits, speakers said.
Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Exporters Association former chairman Abdul Wahid said that the plant is a major development for Pakistan’s mango industry because it will add value to the fruit’s exports.
Waheed Ahmed, a leading fruit exporter of country said that Pakistan should continue to invest in research and development to overcome pre- and post- harvest challenges in the country.
Leading fruit exporters said that the adoption of new technologies such as treatment plants has enabled Pakistan to increase the shelf life of mangoes to 35 days. Since the exporters have increased shelf life of mangoes, they can now export the fruit through sea routes with extremely low freight rates compared to air routes.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2012.
Mango processing unit starts its operations – The Express Tribune

 

[W.11]

that is great, now there should be processing technology for every agriculture product we export

 

[SHAMK9]

that is great, now there should be processing technology for every agriculture product we export

thats slowly happening but i think PIA should open a cargo sector with cargo planes and start shipping products non-stop from interior Punjab/Sindh to Europe/Middle East/Africa etc but that will remain a dream

 

[Donatello]

When will we get out of this bulky, low value export business?

 

[Arsalan]

When will we get out of this bulky, low value export business?

agriculture is the back bone of Pakistan and paying attention to this sector is a must for a developing nation like our..
i hope you are well aware of Green Revolution (US)

brother, this is a good step. it is not only a mean to get foreign Exchange but will also approve the life standard of farmer, which, off-course being an agriculture nation form the most of our population.

in general, a good positive step. i hope more such projects come rise on face of our land.

i remember some years back, the Export Promotion Bureau investing in Kinnow processing plant. now to you travel to Bhara. Balkasar region and you can see hundreds of these plants. the agriculture research institutes worked on improving the quality of orange, introducing hybrids with longer shelf life, less seeds etc.
Pakistan is largest Kinnow producer of the world but majority of our exports are to developing nation as in developed nation, seedless variates are in demand and now with the efforts, Pakistan is exploring new markets.

i hope something same can happen for Mango, Dates, Peace etc

 

[BelligerentPacifist]

Pakistan could not export one of the best mangoes in the world to a number of countries because of regulations that warranted epidermal cleansing procedures in case of pesticide over-exposrue, something we like to do. This plant will be the only one, even though using legacy technology, that will make Pakistani mangoes compliant with those import regulations. This needed to be done 50 years ago.

 

[Arsalan]

do you guys know, Pakistan in the worlds 6th largest Palm Date producing country!

and we are not doing any justice to this capability!

 

[Edevelop]

We can also grow Olives and Tea. Why the hell do we spend like millions importing them.

 

[Arsalan]

the agriculture department, particularly NARC Islamabad is working on Tea. Tea fields can be seen while traveling to Murree and Swat.
The Chakwal facility have heavily invested and developed the Olive plantation. The head of that department, Dr. Abid, is a real hardworking man and a devoted scientist. i have met him, he use to say that those days are over when we used to say that that fruit is of that season or that plant is is from that region, he says that by little effort and research, anything can be grown anywhere and he have proved this.
you have see wild Olives in outskirts of Islamabad and on hill around Jehlum? they are grafting these for olive producing plant.
plant were imported from different countries and they have world and have now sorted Olive plant for almost all part of the country. the department is facilitating the Olive plantation with private sector farmers and its growing.

i once went to Chakwal facility and boy the tress were just bending under the load of Olive fruit, it was good to see.

so with some more effort and time, i hope these crops can be introduced to local farmers and then farmers can be made to trust on there yield and we can move forward with this.

do you remember, Strawberry, a few years back it was such a cherished fruit in Pakistan. Only the elite had access to it and was sold in big shops, look what happened to it now its all over the place man.
i my self have seen strawberry being grown in Swat, Islamabad, Lahore and even in Sindh!

i mean, look at the weather difference in these parts, this supposedly delicate plant have turned out to be a beast, able to grow anywhere!

same is being done to Olives



and yes, Dr. Abid is now in Faisalabad, in Auyb Agriculture Research Institute (AARI), i wonder what he will do here!
a great man indeed!

 

[Baby Leone]

soo the world is going to taste the best mangoes....hmmm we pakistanis are fortunate that we have them & enjoy them in bulk every year