Pakistan sends first-ever cherry shipment to China via G-B

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has a first-ever cherry consignment to China via Gilgit-Baltistan.

A private company has sent the first batch of 6 tons of cherries to China via Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan is likely to export up to 500 tons of cherries to China this year. This series of cherry exports to China will continue until August. In the next shipment, 18 tons of cherries will be sent to China, Urdu News reported.

In this regard, Chairman of the Trade Development Authority, Zubair Motiwala, said that the governments of Pakistan and Gilgit-Baltistan are using all resources to give access to international markets for cherry farmers in Pakistan.

Pakistan had been trying to export cherries to China since 2016, but due to technical reasons and a lack of agreement, Pakistan could not succeed.

According to the Trade Development Authority, a phytosanitary agreement was reached between Pakistan and China for the export of cherries in 2022, under which China gave Pakistan access to its market for the export of fresh cherries.

Regarding the export of cherries from Pakistan to China, Chairman of the Trade Development Authority Zubair Motiwala told Urdu News that the first batch of cherries has been sent to China through refrigerated containers. Immediately after the signing of the agreement protocol between the two countries, the Trade Development Authority started communication with relevant government agencies in Pakistan and Chinese authorities regarding the export of cherries.

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To promote cherries in Pakistan and earn foreign exchange from their export, the Trade Development Authority and related organizations have jointly planted more than 100 cherry orchards in Rahimabad, Gilgit-Baltistan. All necessary facilities are being provided to the farmers for cherry cultivation and fruit maintenance.

Talking about the preparations for the export of cherries to China, Zubair Motiwala said that the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company has also organised training activities for farmers regarding cherry production, with the aim of informing them about good agricultural practices. This training is very useful for increasing yield and fruit size.

According to Zubair Motiwala, farmers will benefit the most from the export of cherries. He said that the Trade Development Authority and the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company are trying to ensure that farmers get maximum benefits by exploring the huge market in China.

Cherry cultivation in Pakistan is done only in Gilgit-Baltistan. According to data from the Trade Development Authority, Gilgit-Baltistan produces almost 5,000 metric tons of cherries every season.

These cherries are sold at low prices in most local markets. After the agreement with China, farmers have the opportunity to sell cherries to the Chinese market at good prices.

Moreover, data from the Trade Development Authority shows that China imports cherries worth three billion dollars every year. On an annual basis, the demand for cherries in China is about 350,000 metric tons.

The services of the National Logistics Cell (NLC) have been engaged for the export of cherries from Pakistan to China. In this regard, Chief Executive Zubair Motiwala says that NLC is responsible for the export of cherries from Gilgit-Baltistan to China through the Sost border. NLC has provided the required refrigerated containers for this purpose.

Sajid Usmani, the owner of MLK, a private company that exports cherries to China in collaboration with the federal government of Pakistan and the government of Gilgit-Baltistan, told Urdu News that 4 to 5 companies were selected for this project at the regional level.

However, no other company accepted this responsibility, but MLK fulfilled the requirements and made the export of cherries possible. Sajid Usmani said that his company has set up a factory and worked on the export of cherries with the help of modern machines.

Sajid Usmani believes that Pakistan can export approximately 500 tons of cherries to China this season. He said that the first shipment of six tons from Pakistan has been sent to China, and another 17 to 18 tons of cherries will be sent in one to two days.

According to Sajid Usmani, his company will continue to export cherries to China until August this year. After a gap of a few days, consignments of 15 to 18 tons of cherries will continue to be sent to China.