KARACHI, Feb 27: Pakistan Apples and Citrus Export Board (PACEB) on Thursday said efforts were under way to restart citrus export to Iran, once a largest market for the Pakistani fruit.

Patron-in-chief, PACEB, Fakir Syed Ayazuddin, president, Abdul Wahid and general secretary, Zaheer Ahmed in a joint press conference said that Iran used to import 100,000 tons of citrus per annum from Pakistan by road. But the Iranian government suddenly stopped imports from Pakistan in 1978 without assigning any reason.

Pakistan had exported a total of over 75,000 tons of kinoo last year which showed that even in 25 years, the country is unable to equal the volume share of Iranian market.

They said market reports indicate that Pakistani kinoo is still preferred in Iran and small quantities going through unofficial channel are cherished.

Ayazuddin said that had Iran not suspended its import from Pakistan, exporters would have been exporting over 400,000 tons per annum in a single country at that moment. He said Irani market is an easiest route for Pakistan which does not require any freight and shipping issues.

He said Shaukat Aziz had assured to include their representatives in the official delegation in upcoming future visit to Iran.

He said that kinoo is banned in Philippines also due to fruit fly and quarantine problem. He urged the Plant Protection Department to invite the Philippines Plant Protection Authority to inspect our orchards and pack houses so that ban could be lifted. He added that the Philippines is an important market for Pakistan.

Exporters are now trying to find new markets and some shipments have already started finding way to Afghanistan for onward shipments to commonwealth independent states besides some quantities are also being sent to Mauritius, he said.

He was not satisfied with the role of Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) in marketing and upgrading the products in foreign markets. It is because of the government departments failure to develop seedless kinoo and find permanent solution to fruit fly issue, various markets left untapped. He said that exporters are ignorant as to where the export development surcharge (EDS) is being utilised.

PACEB chief said that the government is charging abiana from growers and town committees of the growing areas are also charging taxes on every truck which are highly unjustified.

He said that recent rains and hail storms in Punjab have destroyed kinoo orchards and plantation and Pakistan’s exports earnings through kinoo are expected to come down by 50 per cent in the current fiscal as compared to previous year.