With the cancellation of import orders from Sri Lanka, the $2 million worth orders for potato have now been shifted to India, Waheed Ahmed, Chairman Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association (PFVA) said this while addressing a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Wednesday. He was accompanied by Abdul Wahid, former Chairman PFVA, Aslam Pakhali, Vice Chairman, and Zahid, Chairman Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Association.
According to him, the important markets of Sri Lanka and Malaysia were feared to be lost where Pakistani vegetable like potato and onion are already facing competition from India. "As there is a difference of at least 45 days in the season of onion in Pakistan and India and the former has the chances of exports during November and December. Pakistani onions are exported to these countries despite of their high prices of $300 per ton as compared to 200 to $225/ton prices of Indian products, he added.
On the other hand the heavy losses to growers, traders and exporters were also going unnoticed despite the much hue and cry in media as the concerned authorities including Ministry of Commerce, Interior and Communication, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Pakistan Horticulture Development Company, Sindh Government and others were doing nothing to resolve the transporters issues despite the lapse of over a week time.
"We have written letters to all these authorities but none of them bothered to reply and talk to us," he said. With the grave situation that disrupt the movements of freight services, the country is now facing loss of $70 million worth exports daily. The country which needs $2 billion and $70 million worth exports per month and daily respectively, to meet an estimated total exports of $25 billion during this financial year is facing losses worth $70 million per day for the last 11 days, he claimed.
"Around 1000 containers of fresh Kinnow worth over $6 million are stuck at various junctions, besides at least 500 containers worth $3.8 million of onion are also waiting for Karachi Port. The perishable items left for over 11 days could now hardly be exported as they have lost the quality/standards," he said.
Wahid said that many of 250 processing factories of Kinnow in Sargodha have also been closed. The whole supply chain system has been practically disrupted across the country. Zahid claimed that thousands of tones of fresh fruits and vegetable have been wasted on their way to the city's largest Vegetable Market. Serious shortage of the commodities likely to be witnessed in the market, he added.