ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MinFA) in collaboration with USAID has trained about 1483 mango growers across the country for enhancing production of the fruit as well as increasing its export during the coming season. An official in the MinFa told APP here Tuesday that initially 15 farmers were provided equipments which would help them to increase 20 per cent sale per farm and increase 40 per cent employment opportunities.Besides, the initiative would also help to reduce the cost of production by 15 percent which result in maximizing the per farm profit ratio for the growers, he added.Capacity building programme for more than 1000 farmers were organized and 25 farms were also awarded Global Gap Certification by the year 2011-2020, to supply mango to countries like Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom and Belgium, he added.The mango is most widely consumed fresh fruit in the world with exceeding production of 17 million metric tons per year, while Mexico is the largest exporter of mangoes.
Cultivated for over 6,000 years, the kingly fruit enjoys the status of national fruit of Pakistan, India and Philippines, where as Pakistani mango varieties surpass its competitors for having a unique aroma and a sweetness, which is characterized only to the mangoes each year.European Union and Middle East are the bigger importers of Pakistani mangoes where Southeast Asian people overseas take this fruit as a gift from their own soil and present to their friends abroad with pride.Pakistan produces more than 100 varieties of mango while its export was recorded at 85,000 metric tons last years.To cater the needs of extremely health conscious customers in the Western part of the world.Despite gaining popularity in Europe, the largest volume of Pakistani mangoes is consumed in Middle Eastern countries like UAE, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman are bigger markets for Pakistani mangoes owing to the presence of large number of Pakistanis in these countries .Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company has also played its vital role in opening the export of Pakistani mangoes to USA and this year USA that consumes roughly 500,000 metric tons mangoes will be enjoying the legendary fruit from Pakistan. – Brecorder
