Local shortage of premium mango expected once again as Pakistan gears up to export to China too

Every year, Pakistanis are left with inferior quality mangoes and pay high prices to opportunistic vendors for what little is left. The majority of the premium quality mango is exported soon as the season arrives. Apparently, this season won’t be any different. Consumers might face an even severe shortage of good-quality mangoes since Pakistan has decided to add China to the countries where it will be exported.

As per the statistics, Pakistan produces around 1.9 million tons of mangoes and exports around 120,000 tons of it, with the produce sometimes vanishing from the markets owing to excessive export and hence out of the reach of the citizens. This year Pakistan plans to export even more since it has gained access to the Chinese market, and Pakistani mango varieties are expected to enter the Chinese market on a large scale this summer.

Therefore, the citizens may have to deal with an acute shortage of export quality premium mangoes, being left with inferior varieties.

In related news, because of a delay in the mango season arising out of climate change, the government has decided to extend the date of commencement of mango exports to May 25, which may leave the citizens with less than a month to enjoy high-quality mangoes.

“We used to kick-start mango export in mid-May, but due to changes in the environment, the mango season now begins late; therefore the government has decided to start export accordingly,” Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), former chief of agriculture committee Ahmad Jawad said.