Kenya mulling over import of Pakistani kinnow, mango

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan may soon be exporting fruits including kinnow and mango to Kenya, tapping a major international market in Africa due to joint efforts by the All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers & Merchants Association (PFVA) and the Department of Plant Production (DPP) serving under the Federal Ministry of National Food Security & Research and Ministry of Commerce.

According to details, a delegation of quarantine experts from Kenya visited Pakistan earlier this month to evaluate the possibility to import the two fruits and expressed satisfaction on the standards of quarantine facilities.

The Kenyan delegation consisting KEPHIS Managing Director Professor Theophilus Mutui,  Phyto-sanitary Services General Manager Dr. Isaac Macharia, Chief Inspector George Momanyi and PRA Expert Asenath Koech visited kinnow orchards and inspected 33 plants and pack houses in Karachi, Multan, and Bhalwal.

According to officials privy to the information, the opening of new markets in the African region would help Pakistan enter into other connecting markets for exporting horticulture products.

Likewise, horticulture exporters while speaking with Profit said that the Kenyan delegation’s visit was highly successful wherein the foreign country’s experts expressed satisfaction on the high standard of processing plants and strict compliance on implementation of quarantine procedures.

Reportedly, PFVA has absorbed the complete expenses of the visit in a bid to enhance food exports.

PFVA official Waheed Ahmed said that after the quarantine delegations’ successful visit, it is strongly anticipated that export of Pakistani kinnow would commence to Kenya during the current season. “Kenya would become a gateway for Pakistani exports in Eastern Africa and with this while the Kenyan market would also prove to be a good market for the Pakistani mango,” he added.

If the export of kinnow begins during the current season, it is anticipated that Kenya can become a promising international market of 40,000 to 50,000 tonnes for the Pakistani citrus.

It may recalled that during the Pakistan-Africa trade conference held in January 2020, a delegation of PFVA had organised meetings with Kenyan importers and officials of the quarantine department wherein it was mutually agreed to explore opportunities of exporting Pakistani fruits to Kenya and finalising quarantine protocols between the two countries.