According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, in 2019 alone, my country imported 6.83 million tons of fruit, valued at US$9.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 24% and 25%. The total export volume was 3.61 million tons, valued at 5.5 billion US dollars, an increase of 4% and 14% year-on-year.
According to Pakistani media reports, Pakistani mango exports in 2019 hit a record of 115,000 tons. Mango is the king of fruits in Pakistan and one of the representative categories of Pakistani exports.
Due to the special situation of the epidemic this year, Adnan Hafez from Pakistan, who made the first order of mangoes to China, was also the operator of the first order of mangoes from Pakistan to China during the outbreak in February this year. Adnan originally planned to export the first order of mangoes to China before the traditional festival of Eid al-Adnan in Pakistan, and has already booked a flight from Lahore to Kunming on July 29.
After the new crown pneumonia epidemic, he has never had the opportunity to come to China. For Adnan, the smooth delivery of mangoes from his hometown to Chinese customers is a goodwill, a greeting, and a commitment to the trade between the two countries during the epidemic.
“There are very few planes this year, and the price of air freight has increased by 2 to 3 times, and there are various uncertainties in customs declaration and customs clearance between the two countries during the epidemic. Some of my old customers in China did not dare to do it when they heard that the freight was so expensive. And I need to scrape together a 1.5-ton Chinese order. If I can’t meet it, the shipping cost will be even less,” Adnan said.
Tariq Khan, general manager of Pakistan’s Lufabad Farm, said in an interview: “Hot water treatment is a necessary condition for Pakistani mangoes to enter China through the inspection and quarantine process. Mangoes are soaked in water above 48 degrees Celsius for 60 minutes to eliminate all eggs. This is an internationally recognized standard, and that’s what the Chinese quarantine authorities have instructed us.”
After the mangoes have been treated with hot water, they are graded according to their size. Due to differences in climate, mangoes from Pakistan are available from May to October by variety. “Our mangoes are of high quality. After strict screening and grading, they are exported to China. For example, for every three tons of mangoes, after screening, only about one ton can meet the export standard for China.” Tariq revealed.
It is precisely under the strict transportation conditions and strict customs policies, after the efforts of various departments, the first batch of 206 boxes of mangoes after the epidemic officially flew to Shanghai. In less than an hour, the first order of 170 boxes of mangoes was sent to Shanghai by a certain Shanghai Buyers buy all.
Knowing that the largest customer of the first order of mangoes was in Shanghai, Hussein Hyde, Consul General of Pakistan in Shanghai, said: “We produce mangoes of excellent quality. Mangoes are not only a product, but also a symbol. The significance of the first order after the epidemic is extraordinary. The impact of the epidemic on China-Pakistan trade is phased after all. It is important to maintain economic and trade ties and maintain this momentum, because we believe that exports are the engine of Pakistan’s economic growth and job creation. “