Pakistan Faces 30% Decline in Mango Exports Amid Middle East Crisis

Pakistan’s mango exports are expected to decline by nearly 30 percent this year as conflict in the Middle East disrupts trade routes, weakens demand in key markets, and pushes up shipping costs, dealing a fresh blow to farmers and exporters.

Exporters estimate that overseas shipments will fall by around 30,000 tonnes to 80,000 tonnes during the current season, compared with last year. The decline comes despite Pakistan being the world’s fourth-largest mango exporter and earning roughly $110 million annually from mango exports.

The Middle East remains Pakistan’s most important export destination for mangoes, accounting for nearly 80 percent of shipments, according to the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association. However, ongoing tensions involving Iran, disruptions in Afghanistan, and uncertainty across the Gulf region have dampened demand and complicated trade.

“We export almost 80 percent of our mangoes to the Gulf region, Iran, and Afghanistan, but conflict has affected all these markets,” said Waheed Ahmed, chief patron of the exporters’ association. He added that while a tentative ceasefire between the United States and Iran offered some relief, it came too late to significantly benefit the current mango season, which typically lasts about three months.

Exporters are also grappling with rising transportation costs. Shipping a 25 tonne container of mangoes cost around $1,400 last year, but freight charges have increased sharply amid disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz and higher energy prices.

Domestic demand has also weakened as households facing inflationary pressures cut back on discretionary spending, including seasonal fruit purchases.

Pakistan produces more than two dozen mango varieties, including the popular Sindhri and Chaunsa. The country harvested an estimated 1.8 million tonnes of mangoes last year, making the fruit one of Pakistan’s most valuable horticultural exports. However, the sector has increasingly come under pressure from extreme weather events, water shortages, and shifting trade dynamics in recent years.