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Pakistan's fresh produce association has joined forces with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to improve the country's fruit and vegetable production, reports the Dailytimes.com.pk.

USAID will work with the All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants' Association (PFVA) to train growers, invest in research and introduce new cultivars, it said.

PFVA chairman Waheed Ahmed told the publication USDAID had agreed to offer technical support to enhance the country's exports and help growers receive better returns.

Ahmed said Pakistan annually exports around 300,000 tonnes of citrus and 130,000 tonnes of mangoes.

He added that more investment was needed in Pakistan to develop fruit varieties best suited to the global market.