Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan has said the government will not allow the export of mangoes without hot water treatment.
He was talking to the media after inaugurating the hot water treatment plant for mango processing at the Mango Research Institute in Multan yesterday.
The minister said Indian mango had already been banned in EU markets after fruit flies were found in shipments and the Pakistan government was taking precautionary measures after two Pakistani mango consignments were cancelled by the EU.
“It was a yellow card for our mango exporters to take precautionary measures,” he said, adding that hot water treatment plant in Multan would facilitate the mango growers of south Punjab to export their product as there was only one plant in Karachi which was proving costly for growers and exporters from south Punjab to get their mangoes treated from Karachi.
“The countries importing mangoes have become very sensitive regarding quarantine requirement insects and diseases especially fruit fly while Pakistan is also facing quarantine issues for export of mango fruit,” he said.
