Generic mangoes

Pakistani mango exports will re-enter the Japanese market after an 18 year break, according to Karachi-based newspaper The News.

An unnamed export company is believed to have agreed to send 6 tonnes of Pakistan grown mangoes to the Asian nation in the coming months.

Shahzad Ahmed Khan, a commercial councillor at the Pakistani embassy in Japan, said Japanese importers are showing substantial interest Pakistan grown fruit.

Khan said it was possible for Pakistani exporters to carve out a niche market in Japan, where consumers are willing to pay a premium for high-quality fruit and vegetables.

The Japanese government lifted a ban on Pakistani mangoe exports three-years ago, on the condition the fruit was sterilised prior to shipment.

A small plant for vapour heat treatment of tropical fruits has been set up in Karachi.