Mango exports suspended for 23 days due to dispute over plant SOPs

ISLAMABAD:  The export of mangoes, a significant revenue source for Pakistan, has reached a halt for the past 23 days due to the closure of all Hot Water Treatment (HWT) plants. Plant owners and exporters assert that this suspension is a consequence of unnecessary and ever-changing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) issued by the Department of Plant Protection (DPP), a division of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (NFS&R).

Nearly a dozen HWT plant owners and exporters have confirmed that not a single kilogram of mangoes from Punjab has been exported during this period. They blame the DPP’s unreasonable and fluctuating SOPs for making it impossible to treat the mangoes in the existing plants.

In response, Director General of DPP, Abid Alla Dita, refutes the claim, saying that any HWT plant was closed. He asserts that only consignments treated according to the SOPs would receive the necessary Phyto certificate for exports. The issue arose when exporters demanded certificates without adhering to the prescribed treatment protocols.

The controversy escalated when a Multan-based HWT plant owner accused the DPP of obstructing mango exports even after conducting a second-time audit of existing plants. This situation has jeopardized the export of the prized Chaunsa mango variety, which holds a substantial market in Iran and Dubai, amounting to over $100 million.

Surprisingly, HWT plants have been treating mangoes from Sindh, particularly the well-known Sindhri variety, without any SOP-related hindrances during the past few months. However, the Chaunsa variety from Punjab is facing export restrictions due to the treatment issue. This suspension is causing substantial losses to exporters, traders, and growers in the affected region, considering the perishable nature of mangoes.

HWT plant owners have raised concerns about the DPP’s insistence on using portable sensors in addition to the central command system installed through data loggers. They argue that the central command system is sufficient to verify tank temperature and that the portable sensors are redundant, prone to damage, and costly to replace. According to an HWT plant owner, 30 sensors were spoiled during a mere 2.30 minutes of an audit, which occurred as the sensors were damaged by the conveyors and flapper chains during the treatment process.

Exporters feel that millions of rupees are being overlooked due to this predicament, hampering trade and adversely impacting the country’s remittances, which are needed desperately. In a letter to the NFS&R ministry, an exporter has urged the authorities to take this matter seriously and allow HWT operators to follow the given SOPs to facilitate trade.

The ongoing stringent monitoring regime has also led to the shutdown of operations in three HWT plants in Multan, exacerbating the crisis further. Furthermore, the valued crop of Chaunsa White mango faces a significant threat if it cannot be exported to Iran, potentially causing severe financial losses to farmers.

While unverified, an insider alleges that a broken secret deal between the ministry’s higher-ups and an HWT plant owner has contributed to the mess.

Exporters have made an appeal to the authorities to remove the portable sensor regime from HWT plants, as permitted in the DPP SOPs, to restore the mango export industry’s functionality and protect the interests of all stakeholders involved. As the country grapples with economic challenges, addressing this issue promptly becomes crucial to ensure the continuity of a vital revenue stream.