KARACHI: Country’s fruit exports fetched handsome prices in July-March 2021-22 despite a 28 per cent drop in quantities.

Total fruit exports plunged 38pc to 514,516 tonnes valuing $394 million as compared to 829,369 tonnes earning $378m. The average per tonne price comes to $766 versus $456, figures released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) stated.

In vegetables, total exports stood at 703,172 tonnes in 9MFY22 which earned $248m as compared to 700,518 tonnes valuing $246mn in the same period last fiscal. The APT price slightly soared to $353 from $350 in the above period.

Patron in Chief, All Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA), said exporters were lucky to get a good price of fruits, especially mango, kinno and dates which hold 90pc share in total fruit exports despite a massive hike in freight rates.

He said that despite the high local kinno price in the last current season the foreign buyers continued to buy limited quantities, especially by Russia which lifted over 100,000 tonnes this season.

Mr Waheed said in this season, some 30pc of fruit factories did not operate out of 250 units in the country as foreign buyers had shifted their focus towards other countries due to quality issues.

Kinno is exported to Central Independent States, the Middle East, Russia, Indonesia, Singapore, Canada, Gulf countries, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. Pakistan also exports fruits like bananas, cheeko, guava.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2022