LAHORE: The mango season has entered markets later than usual, with an estimated 20 per cent drop in production. Exporters also fear that regional tensions, border closures and rising freight costs could severely affect overseas shipments this year.

Industry stakeholders say unusual weather patterns damaged flowering during the crop’s early stages, reducing expected national output to around 1.5 million tonnes, down from nearly 1.8 million tonnes last year. The cultivation area has remained almost unchanged at about 160,000 hectares.

The season has also been delayed due to cooler and wetter weather during March and April. Harvesting for the local market, which normally begins in late April, did not begin until the first week of May this year. Export programmes are now expected to commence from June 1 instead of around May 20.

Early-producing Sindh districts, including Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar and Hyderabad, are reporting average yields. However, major late-season mango belts in Punjab, such as Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Muzaffargarh and Shujaabad, are experiencing noticeably lower production.

Freight costs threaten shipments

Exporters believe the season may continue longer than usual, potentially stretching into mid-September, depending on weather conditions later in the summer.

Despite the reduced crop size, exporters do not expect international prices to rise significantly because demand in Pakistan’s traditional regional markets has weakened, says Shoaib Ahmad Basra, Managing Director of National Fruit Pakistan.

Trade routes to Afgh­anistan remain disrupted following prolonged border closures, while tensions in the Gulf region and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz have increased shipping costs and reduced vessel availability.

He says air cargo operations have also become uncertain, as Pakistan largely depends on Middle Eastern airlines for mango exports to Europe and the United Kingdom.

“Reduced flight frequency and limited cargo space are complicating export planning for exporters,” he says.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2026