Fruits and vegetables are grown on a large area across the country but Pakistan is not fully utilizing its export potential of horticulture products.

Due to insufficient storage, processing facilities and poor value chain horticulture exports were not at their full potential, Mahfooz Elahi, President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) made these remarks while addressing the exporters of fruit & vegetable at ICCI. 

He said that foreign exchange earnings through exports of fruit & vegetables stood around $302 million in January 2011. Government should give emphasis for the development of horticulture sector and should take progressive initiatives to venture for the exploitation of export potential and to search more markets like South American countries, North Africa, Central Asian states and South Asian region, he emphasized. 

ICCI President was of the view that horticulture exports could be increased through deeper penetration into new existing and friendly markets and also simultaneously obtaining higher per unit price through better packaging and ensuring quality of commodities. Pakistani fruits and vegetables are in demand in almost all over the world so TDAP should interested exporters to increase exports, he maintained.

Latest cold storage facilities are insufficient in the country, which have results in very high post harvest losses, thus government should provide support in using modern technology for increasing the shelf life, he opinioned.

Elahi said that fruits and vegetables should be exported keeping in view international accepted standards of quality and packaging for which government should arrange series of awareness programs for exporters, he added.
 
ICCI President suggested that finance facilities should be provided to small farmers who are interested in exports. Leasing facility should also be provided to exporters who would establish cold storage houses, he said.

He was of the view that our commercial sections abroad should conduct detailed study about opportunities in the fruits & vegetable sector, this information must be passed on to Fruit & Vegetable Association and Chambers to assist in increasing Pakistan’s share in this field. Elahi said that our country could also earn reasonable foreign exchange by exporting organic food, the demand of which is rising in the international market.