HYDERABAD: Experts and farmers have said that horticulture products worth $250 billion are being exported in the world, but Pakistan is not benefitting from it due to a lack of quality and essential export requirements.

They said academia, industry, farmers and organisations which were to set standards for exports needed to work together to improve quality of agricultural products for progress.

They were speaking at a seminar titled the “Mango Bagging for Quality Production” at the Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) Tandojam. the event was organised in collaboration with the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC).

SAU Vice Chancellor Dr Fateh Marri said that many countries of the world were moving towards high-value agriculture while “we have to promote research and export standards to produce products free from diseases and pesticides and to make a place for our products in the world market”.

PHDEC Chief Executive Officer Athar Hussain Khokhar said that there had been no difference in research since 1950 so “we are starting research to improve export quality of agricultural products in collaboration with academia. Experts are asked to prepare their projects, we will fund them and start paid internships for students”.

Syed Mehmood Nawaz Shah, a progressive mango grower, said that for exporting Pakistani mangoes to the world “we have to focus on standards because our mangoes are not fetching fair price due to concerns over quality and use of bags to protect mangoes from diseases and pests. It needs to be followed by further research and implementations”.

The company’s consultant Dr Mubarak Hussain said there was no substitute for Pakistan’s mangoes in the world in terms of taste, colour and fragrance, but due to lack of cleanliness and cosmetic standards, “we do not get value”.

“The SAU has done excellent research work and can lead future research and communication with institutions,” he said.

Others who also spoke on the occasion included Crop Production Faculty Dean Dr Inayatullah Rajpar, horticulture department chairman Dr Mujahid Hussain Leghari, Horticulture Institute Mirpurkhas Director Dr Wali Mohammad Baloch, Dr Leman Kumar, Dr Tahseen Fatima Miano, Dr Mehrunisa Memon and others.

Earlier, Prof Dr Noorunisa Memon and Dr Mohammad Ibrahim Khaskheli presented papers regarding mangoes. The VC and PHDEC CEO signed a MoU on the occasion to work together on various projects in future.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2023