A beaming Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Mohammad Gondal termed the US decision a major breakthrough in Pakistani exports, saying that the notification of US Federal Register will be made available to Pakistan by next Tuesday.
Mr Gondal told newsmen that the US decision will send a wave of jubilation in the mango growing areas of the country particularly the southern Punjab and mango growers will get a big boost.
The Federal Register (FR) is the official gazette of the federal government of the United States. In its journal, the FR will allow the importation into the US of Pakistani mango however its eradication would be carried by the US Department of Agriculture.
The United States is the largest importer of mangoes in the world fetching almost 45 per cent of the total mango imports.
Pakistan is considered as the second largest export of mangoes and exports to UAE, Saudi Arabia, UK, Bahrain, Singapore and some other countries.
Meanwhile, the third meeting of Pak-US Strategic Dialogue in Agriculture concluded here on Tuesday with a broad agreement to continue to work together to modernise Pakistan's agricultural sector to ensure adequate supply of food items; foster faster economic growth; alleviate poverty and enhance rural employment.
Areas identified for future cooperation include crop productivity enhancement, particularly, in wheat and cotton, animal and plant diseases; dairy development; horticulture, market access for Pakistani agricultural products including mangoes as well as various other areas of research development and extension and water management.
During the deliberations it was agreed to strengthen collaborative research and to broaden private sector for economic growth in the agriculture sector, says a joint press release issued at the end of the meeting.
Secretary Ministry of Food and Agriculture Junaid Iqbal led the Pakistani side at the talks while the US delegation was co-chaired by Darci Vetter, Deputy Under-Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, US Department of Agriculture and James Bever, Assistant Administrator of USAID.
Ms Darci Vetter told newsmen after the meeting of strategic dialogue that a lot is yet to be done in the bilateral cooperation and the third meeting of dialogue was aligned with that direction. We are moving ahead with action plan on priority areas that would measure results of our efforts, she said.
Dear visitor, the comments section is undergoing an overhaul and will return soon.