Scanner planned at airports for food items

KARACHI: The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have agreed to install a state-of-the-art high-capacity scanner at the Karachi Airport for examination of the export consignments of fruits, vegetables, and other perishable food items, a statement said on Wednesday.

Installation of the scanner will enable export consignments of fruits and vegetables, especially mangoes, to be scanned in the shortest possible time with minimum human intervention, which will ensure that the quality of mangoes is not affected.

The multiple agencies, involved at the airport checking consignments through humans, affected the quality, as well as delayed the scanning processes.

Simultaneously, with the installation of the scanner, a special shed at the airport would also be constructed where the export shipments of fruits can be stored and protected from the ill effects of the weather. The scanner would also help remove barriers to ensure smooth export operation of perishable cargo, leading to enhancement of fruit exports, especially mangoes.

Waheed Ahmed, Patron-in-chief of Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (PFVA), said in pursuance of PFVA’s Horticulture Vision 2030, the MoC has agreed to install modern facilities of automatic and speedy inspection of fruits’ consignments at Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Multan airports.

The MoC, having agreed, in principle, on the proposal for installation of modern scanners, has decided to initiate implementation of this proposal from Karachi; followed by other cities.

Recently, a delegation, consisting of Executive Director General MoC Syed Rafay Bashir Shah, officials of Trade Development Authority and PFVA visited Karachi airport cargo terminal and had a meeting with the CAA director general to look into the possibilities of installing the latest technologically scanners.