KARAHCI, May 13: Some private firms have started importing fruits from various countries and one firm has imported Egyptian citrus (oranges) for the first time with a claim of introducing them in the market at affordable rates.
This firm has imported one container of Egyptian oranges (24 tons) this month while more shipments are in the pipeline.
An executive in the importing firm, who asked not to be identified, told Dawn that the price of oranges might slightly be higher but so would be the quality. Egyptian oranges are famous for its taste.
“One can find imported oranges in the posh areas and super stores of the city because we have selected buyers for this item. We hope to get good response,” he said.
He said the firm had also imported one container (24 tons) of oranges from Australia in the last Ramazan.
Besides, the firm had imported two containers of apple from China, America and Australia in April this year. “The buyers of these apples were mainly from posh areas,” he said.
The world is now a global village and each country can sell and buy the products as per the demand and supply situation. Under this arrangement, imported fruits have started landing in Pakistan and hopefully its imports will flourish, the executive said.
He added that consumers would be witnessing a wide variety of fruits from different countries in coming months.
Import of fruits is subject to 25 per cent customs duty, 15 per cent sales, 10 per cent value-added tax and one per cent income tax.
There are fewer importers of fruits right now and currently these firms are endeavouring to bring a change in the habit of consumers who are now more eager to have imported items at any cost. In case the consumers give an encouraging response to the imported fruits then more traders will join the bandwagon.
Under such higher rates of duties, it appears quite surprising that how such kind of firms manage the imports in a price conscious markets where many consumers appear bound to skip eating fruits in the season due to liquidity crunch and to meet other pressing domestic issues. In sharp contrast, there are many cash rich consumers who feel disgrace in asking the price of fruits from the retailers as they procure fruits in bulk (in wooden boxes). Their drivers do the honours of dealing with the retailers as they prefer to sit in their cars.
“I repeat our targeted consumers for imported fruits hail from posh areas,” the executive said, adding that “if the air-conditioned retail outlets are opened in larger numbers then the presence of imported fruits can be enhanced.”
Pakistani markets have witnessed a change in recent years as a sizeable number of people prefer to buy items from the centrally air-conditioned super and departmental stores owing to a change in environment as compared to shopping in big and small markets. These super stores, whose numbers are on the rise, offer both imported and locally produced items. Even red and white meat and vegetables are now available at these stores.
However, Pakistan produces almost all kinds of fruits in abundance and it is one of the main exporters in the world markets as foreign buyers like the taste and quality of Pakistani oranges, mango, kinno, apple etc. According to figures of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), fruits exports during July-March 2005-2006 surged by 17 per cent in quantity and 21 per cent in value to 262,188 tons ($90 million) from 223,199 ($75 million) in the same period of 2004-2005.
Pakistani consumers are fond of imported items be it high value items such as cars or goods such as ladies fabrics, children clothes, toys, shoes, watches, soaps, shampoos, tea, pulses, cosmetics. The elite opt for quality and brand as their demand is price insensitive.
