LAHORE: Mango and kinno exporters have submitted suggestions to the Federal Ministry of Food and Security regarding export of mango to Iran and other countries.

They suggested that the standard operation procedures (SOP) signed with the Iranian government in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) must be implemented completely.

“By sea and road, the cargo must be shipped in reefer containers keeping in mind the previous illegal trade of mango by getting the fruit packed from orchards and issuance of phytosanitary certificates by Department of Plant Protection, which are misused by processors,” read a letter written by Sheikh Shoaib, a leading mango exporter from Lahore.

He wrote that since Pakistan’s 90pc export is by sea and the rest by air, both exporters and the ministry should focus on enhancing mango export by air.

“As per European SOP, clean environment is a vital condition. For this we met with Deputy Director Ashfaq Rao and suggested that packing must be done within plants. Cargo should be processed and packed in plant premises and moved directly to the airport,” he explained.

He also suggested that the Quarantine Department must be allowed to sit in Hortifresh Pvt Ltd Karachi — a common facility centre for processing of fresh fruits and vegetables — as it operated under the supervision of Ministry of Commerce’s Horticulture Board.

According to the Pakistan-Iran MoU regarding the export of citrus/kinno and mango, transportation of consignments from packing houses/cold storages to the border points would be carried out by reefers.

“If a consignment of kinno or mango is found to be infested with any… pests on arrival inspection by the Iranian quarantine service, further export of kinno and mango will be suspended,” the MoU reads.

In a recent meeting of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry stranding committee on frozen fruits and vegetables, the participants suggested that packing must be allowed in hot water treatment (HWT) plants only.

“Mangoes should be processed and packed at the same facility and sent to airport to avoid any compliance issues. Last year, it was seen that when HWT-treated mangoes left the facility and were taken to a pack house located elsewhere, it increases chances of infestation. So we should learn from previous experience and all HWT facilities should be equipped with pack houses and HWT-treated mangoes not leave the facility without export packaging,” read the minutes of the meeting.

Shoaib said the phytosanitary certificate should be issued within the processing unit.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2016