Pakistani mangoes are now on sale for the first time in the UK with a major grocery retailer, following the signing of a deal between supermarket operator Asda and the Pakistan High Commission in the UK.

The mangoes are being sold in 25 Asda stores in and around Manchester as part of a four-month trial after talks between the commission’s trade office for northern England, northern Ireland and Scotland and the retailer.

The agreement could mark a breakthrough for Pakistani mangoes in the UK, as the fruit has until now only been available through wholesale and cash-and-carry outlets, despite Pakistan being the world’s third largest exporter of mangoes.

Pakistani commercial consul Muhammad Hamid Ali told the Manchester Evening News that the Asda trial listing would provide a “big boost” for Pakistan’s horticultural sector, predicting it could help generate more major opportunities for the country’s fruit and vegetable exporters.