KARACHI: Ahmad Jawad, Secretary General for Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI)’s Businessman panel has urged provincial agriculture departments of Sindh and Punjab to ensure urgent assistance to the mango growers in context of safe harvesting, processing, packing and transportation in face of existent COVID -19 scenario.
In a statement issued here the other day, he said besides the global pandemic abnormal weather pattern has also severely affected mango crop of the country, a source of its foreign exchange earning. He demanded that authorities concerned to immediately approach the growers and raise the latter’s awareness as how to handle the situation.
Mentioning that the fruit is grown in more than 100 countries of the world and that Pakistan is the fifth highest producer of it, he feared that under emerging scenario, increase in its wastage may aggravate as compared to normal circumstances. Jawad suggested the need for a proactive approach that may also include efficient and optimum use of mango pulp in accordance to international standards.
Acknowledging that emerging circumstances do hint decline in export volumes, he said a close coordination between government and mango growers was required on strong scientific lines to improve value addition of the fruit coupled with diversity in its variety as well as that of its by-products.
