Mango varieties and their development in Pakistan

Mangoes are cultivated in all the provinces of Pakistan including Balochistan and KPK. The fruit is mainly grown in Sindh and southern Punjab. Mirpur Khas and Multan are noted for their huge mango gardens. Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Naushahroferoz, Khairpur (Mir's), Rahim Yar Khan, Bhawalpur, Muzafargarh, Sheikhupura are important mango growing areas in the country.

Mango production in Khanewal, Sahiwal, Vehari, Okara, Faisalabad, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh and Sargodha etc is also considerable. Varieties of mangoes are various. Their number is infinite. But, only a few selected varieties have commercial significance.

Some of the principal mango varieties of Pakistan are described here.

1.   Sindhri: Sindhri is the best of all varieties grown in Pakistan. The colour of this variety is yellow, the rent colour of man­goes. Sindhri is large in size, beautiful in shape and superb in taste. In colour, in shape and in taste, the variety has no rival, no match. It is simply peerless. It is a very delicious mango. The shelf-life of the  variety is longer than most of other varieties. It has proportionately larger eating mass. Sindhri. indeed, is a perfect mango.

2.      Among the late varieties of the country, Chaunsa is the choicest. 
It has a unique and appealing aroma. In size, the variety is medium large.

3.   Dasehri, 'is the small wonder variety of mango. It is small in size only, but big in all other attributes of a mango. It is very sweet and tasty. Its skin is stiff, which fully protects the eatable pulp inside.

4.      Mangoes, when ripe, usually change their colour from green to yellow or yellowish red. But, we have a variety in Pakistan, which does not change its colour even on ripening. It is Langra, the green beamy. It comes in market earlier then  Sindhri. Eating qualities of the variety are excellent. It is sweet and juicy. It is a medium-sized fruit.

5.     Sonaro, a variety mostly cultivated in Khirqur-Sukkur belt ,is our 'heavy-weight champion'  in. mangoes. Its weight is over one pound. Weight wise Sonaro is No.l in Pakistan. It comes in August. It is excellent for juicing.

6.  Anwar Katole, Saroli. Fajri, Malda, Gulab Khns, Totapari. Beganpali ,Collestor  Neelam, Pndam and Sensation etc are other important varieties of the mangoes.

Among a total of 75 mango exporting countries   in the world Mexico, Philippines and Pakistan lead the list. Mexico is the single largest mango exporting country in the world and takes a lions share (41%) in international mango market. In 1998, when total world exports were 509.8 thousands tons this country exported 209.4 thousand tons of mangoes. Philippines and Pakistan respectively rank the second and third largest international suppliers of the fruit. Getting 7.6 % of world mango market Pakistan achieved a wonderful growth of 119% rising from 18.3 thousand tons in 1996 to 40.2 thousand tons in 1980. India registered   a zero increase in mango export during the same period.

The Netherlands and France do not produce mangoes. But these countries among of the first  ten mango exporters of this fruit. The USA's imports of mangoes are the highest (43.2%) in the world. In 1998, it imported 197.4 thousand tons of the fruit. Chnia , Hong Kong, the Netherlands, UAE, France. Malaysia. the UK and Saudi Arabia, Germany and Singapore are other major importers  of mangoes.

About 85% of Pakistani mangoes are shipped to Dubai. The rest are exported to around 25-30 countries in various pans of the world the prominent among them include Saudi Arabia, U.K., Bahrain and Singapore.

1.      We must focus on Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore in the Far East and the Netherlands, France,  U.K. and German  in Europe for developing mango exports from Pakistan.

2.            In order to chalk out a long-term action plan for achieving a rapid growth in mango production, processing and exports, a Match Making; conference on mangoes should be organized in the country, every year. All stakeholders in the fruit, including farmers exporters, investors, packing material suppliers, airlines scientists  and  researcher  should be invited for participation.

3.            Pakistanis living abroad should be engaged in mango related business.

4.            Government agencies like EPB, P1DC. ADBP. MINFAL may arrange some kind of co-sponsor for the conference.

5.            EPB may coordinate.

6.     The conference may also serve as a forum, where interested mango growers, processors and exporters can finalize direct business deals for the next years and beyond mango crops.

7.            Mango orchards, rather all fruit orchards, of ten acres and above may be declared as industry.

8.        All facilities should be available to an industry in a rural area ( such as Gadoon Amazai industrial area) including the facility of duty free   import of cooling plants, fruit farming and processing machinery and equipment, refrigerated vehicles for transportation of fruits to such orchard industries.

9.            Marketing side of our agriculturists is very poor. They do not get appropriate returns from their fruit farms. Farmers may, therefore, be encouraged and assisted, technically and financially, to establish Growers Marketing Association (GMA) to be responsible for procuring agriculture products from the farmers and selling it profitably on their behalf in the country and abroad.

10.        For this purpose a reasonable number of shops and godowns in fruit and vegetable markets in all major cities like Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas. Sukkur, Bahawa!pur, Multan, Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Quetta may be allotted to GMA.

11.        Different Associations may also be assisted in operating cold storage, warehouses and export houses in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Singapore, United Kingdom, Holland and Germany in collabo-ratk ith GMA's counterpart organizations in these countries.

12.        Real export culture and required infrastructure is yet to be developed in Pakistan. To meet this, Fruit and Vegetable Export Villages may be established near the airports of Karachi, Sukkur, Multan, Lahore, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta. Facilities for packing and grading, cold storage may be provided at these places on nominal charges.

13.    Farmers Associations operating in the country may group themselves together to form Federation of Pakistan Farmers Association (FPFA) to voice their view effectively on national level.

14.        The Federation of Pakistan Farmers Association should make it a point to formulate suggestions / recommendations at least three month before  the national budget, to be given to policy makers enabling them (the policy makers) to prepare farmer-friendly budgets. The same may be done in the case of trade policy, as well.

15.        There are complaints from commercial sections abroad that some exporters from Pakistan are exporting artificially ripened immature mangoes at the start of the season. This is creating a bad impression about Pakistani mangoes in international market. To ensure that only fully mature mangoes are exported, export of this fruit before the first day of June should not be allowed. Customs authorities may check the initial consignments of each variety.

16.     Mangoes should be exported in value added form. The fruit may he processed into juices, nectars and other value added products. The latest trend for packing juice and nectar is tin and transparent material. Mirpurkhas and Multan, as well as Karachi and Lahore are ideal places for manufacturing value added mango products. Pakistani as well as foreign investors may come forward and seize the opportunity.

17.     We are allowing a subsidy in freight on export of potatoes, while other vegetables and fruits stand ignored. Let there be a uniform policy. A 25% subsidy in freight allowed in the case of potatoes may also be given on export of all fruits and vegetables, mangoes included.

18.       There is no dried mango concept in Pakistan, though it has the status of an industry in quite a few countries such as Philippines.

19.        Entrepreneurs in Pakistan may venture into this profitable field, ready buyer may be found for this product in Europe, USA and Japan.

Different studies suggest the following useful hints for enhancement of the common approval and acceptance for mangoes in the international markets:

1.           Harvesting of Mangos in early morning should be avoided to reduce latex staining problems.

2.      During harvesting, a stem of 1.5 cm should be left and be trimmed back to 2.3 mm at packing.

3.            Before pacing, the fruit should be washed and given fungicidal heat treatment.

4.            Mangoes are usually treated against anthracnose with hot water.

5.            The fruit must be cooled rapidly within 24 hours.

6.            Minimum weight of an individual mango for exports purpose should not be less than 220 g. The most saleable weights are 300-550 g. per fruit.

7.            Packaging used should be strong, preferably white, attractive and clean.

8.       Fruit should be individually wrapped in tissue paper packed in one layer. A 2-kg packet, containing 5-7 mangoes, is preferred in the Gulf and Europe.

9.            The box must have holes for enough ventilation, and should be lidded.

10.       In order to receive a tariff preferential treatment in European countries and Japan, under their GSP Schemes, the consignments must be accompanied by Form 'A', duly authenticated by Export Promotion Bureau, Government of Pakistan.