Mango export from the country during the current season of the year 2011-12 has reached to 130,000 tons as Pakistani mangoes was introduced in US and Japanese markets.

The export could be enhanced by streamlining the shipment facilities, simplifying the local custom clearance process and by adopting the vapour heat treatment (VHT) to meet the international quality standards for mango export.

Chief Executive Officer Harvest Trading, Ahmad Jawad while talking to APP here on Monday said that exporters have also faced losses during this season due to delayed shipments and clearance from local customs authorities.

Besides, he said that the temporary closure and the rains in Punjab caused major damage to the fruit which also effected the export of mango from the country.

Jawad said that the quality of Pakistani mangoes is undeniably world class adding that growers and exporters want proactive measures from the government to secure favorable terms for export to the United States, Japan and other global destinations with 5 years strategy.

Out of the total export, 60 to 70 percent export of mangos were consumed in Middle Eastern markets and remaining share of the export was used in UK and Malaysian markets, he added.

He added that, on 30 July the inaugural ceremony of Pakistani mangoes was held at Chicago, hosted by the country's ambassador to the United States.

"About 2800 kilograms of mangoes were shipped to the US for this ceremony costing exporters more than $50,000". But he added that exporters are considering this a sunk cost because so far the US government has shown no inclination to redress stringent quality requirements that limit the viability of exports to the world's largest importer of mangoes, Ahmad Jawad added.

Officials from TDAP and the commerce ministry have also said that the country can initiate exports of this fruit to Japan from next year to the tune of 200-300 tons.

But among the trade barriers is the requirement of vapour heat treatment (VHT) of all mangoes shipped to Japan.

Jawad said the VHT facility as a pilot project revealed that the total capacity of this installation is "about 180 kilograms of mangoes per day" adding that this facility is not sufficient to initiate commercial export of mangoes to Japan.

CEO Harvest Trading said that the Japanese government has keenly pursued local exporters to purchase a commercial scale VHT plant, "but this installation will cost us about Rs. 350 million.

Even after that we would still be in a vulnerable position if Japan introduces new technology after a couple of years regarding the export of mangoes.

Instead of purchasing expensive infrastructure that is only relevant for exports to Japan, government must work towards establishing indigenous process for quality control and getting them approved by the governments of major markets, he suggested.