By Arooj Zulfiqar

ISLAMABAD, July 15 (INP-WealthPK): China offers a huge market for exports of Pakistan's dried and dry fruits.

Farmers in most mountainous areas of Pakistan produce a variety of fruits, which are dried and exported in large quantities.

Talking to WealthPK, an expert from the National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC) said, “Large quantities of fruits like apricots, pears, plums are dried and exported every year. Besides, Pakistan also exports great volumes of dry fruits like almonds and walnuts.”

He said that quality dried fruits and nuts were mainly produced in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

“Pakistan exports plenty of dried fruits to different countries, including China,” he said, adding that China was emerging as a lucrative market for Pakistani dried fruits.

The agriculture expert said that dried fruits and nuts were selected, graded, processed and packaged keeping in view the international standards.

He said that China imported 2.819 million tonnes of dried and fresh melons and nuts in the first four months of fiscal year 2021-22, which was 12.9% more than the imports done during the same period of the previous year.

Talking about the steps to boost exports of both the dried and dry fruits, he said that the government provided farmers with high-quality seeds to improve production of fruits. He added that such steps helped increase the farmers’ incomes.

It is pertinent to mention here fruit exports increased by 3.39% in volume and 11.19% in value during the financial year 2021-22. Oilseed, nut and kernel exports showed a marvelous increase of 216.33% in quantity and 212.59% in value during FY2021-22.

It is notable here that Pakistan was the 24th largest exporter of dried fruits in the world in 2020 with exports of $16.4 million. In the same year, dried fruits were Pakistan's 144th most exported product. Among the top destinations for Pakistan's dried fruit exports were China ($6.8m), Saudi Arabia ($2.97m), the US ($1.24m), the United Arab Emirates ($796,000) and Finland ($490,000).

It is to be recalled here that the Consulate General of Pakistan in Shanghai in collaboration with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan organised a webinar to tap Pakistan's dried fruit export potential in China. More than 20 companies from China and Pakistan attended the webinar.

According to Hussain Haider, Pakistan's Consulate General in Shanghai, Pakistani dried fruit exports to China took a big leap to reach $65 million in 2021, up from just $8 million in 2020, showing great potential for Pakistan's dried fruit exports to China.

“Pakistan has a strong agricultural foundation and produces dried fruits of exportable quality. Under the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement, Pakistan exports dried fruits to China with zero tariffs, which is of great benefit to Islamabad,” he said.

The Pakistani authorities are advised to organise exhibitions in China, allowing growers of dried and dry fruits to promote their produce among the Chinese people.

Credit:

Independent News Pakistan-INP