The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) has succeeded in resolving the 12 years long pending issue of market access of cherries exports from Pakistan to China.
The General Administration of Customs China (GACC) confirmed to the Department of Plant Protection (DPP), Ministry of National Food Security and Research, that Pakistani exporters can export cherries from Pakistan to China from DPP-registered orchards and packhouses.
This market access request was pending since 2012. However, GACC after a video inspection of quarantine procedures and registered orchards & cold treatment facilities, and packhouses registered with DPP for sanitary and phytosanitary measures, allowed the export of cherries from Pakistan to China in accordance with the agreed protocol.
The Department of Plant Protection took special steps to upgrade registered orchards, cold treatment facilities, and packhouses as per the requirements of GACC. Tireless efforts including guidance and repeated technical compliance audits were put in this direction by DPP to ensure and enable these orchards and facilities to export cherries through improvement in food safety and phytosanitary measures besides quality, storage, and packaging. Now, 90 cherry orchards and 15 cold treatment facilities & packhouses from Pakistan can export cherries to China.
This agreement opens a gateway to further exports to international markets given the quality standards remain sound. Further, the up-gradation of more orchards and facilities is in the pipeline with DPP, to make them at par with international standards to achieve major shares in high-end markets of Asia, Europe, the US, and Australia and obtain their registration for export to China.
Cherries to China? Who will eat these cherries? Over 50% of the cherries packed in small boxes available in the market are already rotten.