ISLAMABAD: In a maj­or development, Uzbekis­t­an’s Food Safety Commit­tee has approved 184 Pakistani kinnow exporters and 39 packhouses to access the Uzbek market.

The approval comes ahe­ad of the upcoming kinnow export season, according to an official announcement issued on Tuesday. The de­­velopment is particularly significant given the border closures with Afgha­nis­tan since October 2025.

Afghanistan has tradit­i­onally been a major exp­ort destination for Pakistani fruit, particularly kinnow and mangoes.

The approval allowed Pak­­istani kinnow exporters registered with Pakis­tan’s Department of Plant Protection (DPP), subject to fulfilling relevant regulatory and phytosanitary requirements, to access the Uzbek market.

This development is exp­ected to significantly enh­ance Pakistan’s kinnow exports and streng­then its presence in Central Asia.

The achievement refle­cts the government’s push to expand agricultural trade and follows coordinated diplomatic and technical efforts by the Minis­try of Commerce, TDAP, MNFSR, DPP, Pakistan’s Trade and Investment Counsellor in Uzbekistan, and the Embassy of Pakistan in Uzbekistan.

Pakistan appreciates the cooperation extended by the government of Uzbekistan and remains committed to strengthening bilateral trade through expanded agricultural market access, the announcement added.

Published in Dawn, November 11th, 2026