Fruit, vegetable exports surge

KARACHI: Pakistan has registered record enhancement in export of fruits and vegetables, despite coronavirus global pandemic, a statement said on Tuesday.

The Financial year 2019/20 has witnessed an overall 12.5 percent increase in fruits and vegetables export, amounting to $730 million, which is the ever-highest revenue in terms of foreign exchange generation, it added.

Last year, the export of fruits was enhanced by 3.8 percent, while the vegetables reflected an increase by 28 percent. Export of fruits fetched $431.27 million, while export of the vegetables generated $30 million.

Waheed Ahmed, patron-in-chief of All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) said that at the time when the global trade was facing stiff challenges and it was almost impossible to ensure timely delivery of Pakistani fruits and vegetables to the importing countries due to the pandemic and resulting lockdowns, PFVA translated these challenges into opportunity by enhancing exports of this sector.