The government has extended the start date of mango export to May 25 due to the delay in mango season caused by global warming.
Local exporters will be able to begin exporting on May 25, according to a Ministry of Commerce announcement.
“We used to start mango export in mid-May, but due to changes in the climate, the mango season now starts later, so the government has decided to start export accordingly,” Ahmad Jawad, former chief of agriculture committee of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) said.
One reason for the delay, he said, was that when the deadline was closer, exporters were tempted to use various artificial methods of mango ripening, which could damage Pakistan’s reputation in the long run.
Pakistan produces 1.9 million tons of mangoes per year, with 120,000 tons exported. However, now that it has access to the Chinese market, it plans to export more this year.
