Pakistan has exported over 50,000 tonnes of mangoes so far this season, which runs from May until September, and the projected target is 125,000 tonnes, according to a Daily Times report.
However, experts claim this figure is lagging behind last season's exports, and they blame lower than anticipated yields coupled with an increase in airfreight rates for the drop.
There has been a marked decrease in European exports because of the airfreight hikes, and Pakistan's annual mango shipments there by air are around 20,000 tonnes, equaling around US$4.5m in additional charges.
A leading Pakistani mango exporter told the Daily Times that Emirates Airlines had increased its rates by nine per cent on last year's levels, from Rs150 (US$1.75) per kg to Rs170 (US$1.98), and as a result Pakistan mango exports to the region are down by 25-30 per cent.
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