MULTAN, Dec 23: Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Sikandar Hayat Bosan said on Saturday that Pakistani mango is expected to get access to lucrative US market next mango season.

The government has talked to US officials three days ago and we have convinced them to a greater extent to allow Pakistani mango entry into US market, Sikandar Bosan told participants of a mango focus group workshop aimed at taking feedback from all the stakeholders to form horticulture policy.

The workshop was organized by the Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project and Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board .

Project Director of ADDP Arshad H Hashmi told newsmen that Pakistani scientists, including plant pathologists, agronomists, had an interaction with the officials of US Department of Agriculture (USDA) three days ago through video-conferencing at the US embassy, Islamabad, during which the US officials put forward queries about post-harvest handling of fruit and Pakistan scientists gave them briefing on what development had taken place in Pakistan.

“They had some eight to 10 conditions and we have convinced them on two of them, including irradiation plant at Lahore and Hot Water Treatment plant at Karachi, for fruit fly treatment.”

Federal Minister for Agriculture Sikandar Bosan said that most recently, the ministry has signed an MoU regarding export of citrus and mango with Iran and China, adding similar MoUs with other countries, including Japan and USA, are in the process. Bosan said that a Mango Research Institute has also been approved to be set up at Multan.

He added that PC-1 of the project was in the final stages of completion and land would be acquired from the Punjab government at a site in front of Central Cotton Research Institute here at old Shujabad road. —APP