‘Iran potential market for Pakistani mangoes’

MULTAN: Mango growers are of the view that Iran is a potential market for Pakistani mangoes but some banks are reluctant to issue export forms (E-forms) to the exporters despite a green signal from the State Bank of Pakistan. Talking to newsmen here on Monday, Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice-president Tariq Khan said that over 20,000 ton mangoes could be exported to Iran provided proper banking facilities were made available to exporters. He said that there was some confusion on trade with Iran as some banks were reluctant to issue E-forms for mangoes. He said that the mango season had already begun and Iran being a traditional lucrative market of Pakistani mangoes offered substantial export potential.

“As trade between Pakistan and Iran has now been restored and the embargo imposed by the US prohibiting trade with Iran  lifted, I believe that Iran is a very lucrative market for Pakistani mangoes”, he added. He said  Pakistan could export mangoes to Iran via sea and land route. Pakistan could easily export up to 50,000 ton mangoes annually to Iran in the next five years and earn over $22 million foreign exchange. Explaining the E-form, he said it was issued by the banks at the time of export to a client. It was a declaration that the export was being processed against the foreign exchange either it had arrived in the exporting country or was contracted to arrive after shipment maturity.