KARACHI: Pakistani mangoes have finally made a debut in the Japanese market after passing through all the quality clearances.

The first shipment to Japan travelled by air on July 15.

“Export of mangoes to Japan was a big achievement for Pakistan Fruits and Vegetables Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA),” the former chairman of the association Waheed Ahmed said that

Japan provided a Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT) plant to Pakistan in 1998 and export of mango was to be processed through that plant.

However, plant had become useless until 2010 when PFVA took its control and made it useful with the support of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP).

This season 400 kilograms of mangoes were processed through this plant and an official from Japan's agriculture ministry checked the processed mangoes in Karachi and allowed their export to Japan.

Waheed Ahmed said that Pakistan's horticulture achieved a milestone by getting share in Japanese market, which was small in terms of quality but very important in terms of price where Pakistani mangoes could get around Rs350 per kg.

He said that initially 2,000 kilograms of mangoes would be exported to Japan in shape of two shipments of 250 kilograms and one shipment of 400 kilograms.

The first shipment went through EK-603, which would be used by Pakistan Embassy in Japan for publicity purpose and gifts would be given to top personalities.

He said that Japan would become a market of around $3 million to $4 million within next five years.

Other countries that are exporting mangoes to Japan include Philippines, Thailand, Australia and South Africa.

He said that after meeting the quality requirements of Japan, Pakistani exporters achieved a level where they can export to any country in the world, as Japan has very tough quality standards.

The commercial export to Japan will start from next year and a commercial VHT plant would be installed for this purpose.