Kinnow, mango: Kenya’s experts satisfied with quarantine facilities

KARACHI: The joint extensive efforts by All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (PFVA), Department of Plant Production (DPP), serving under the Federal Ministry of National Food Security and Research and Ministry of Commerce, paid rich dividends leading to the opening of an important international market in Africa.

The quarantine experts from an African country, Kenya visited Pakistan to evaluate import of Pakistani kinnow and mango to Kenya and expressed satisfaction on the standards of quarantine facilities.

According to Waheed Ahmed, the Patron-in-Chief of All Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Exporters Association, during Pakistan-Africa trade conference in January 2020, a delegation of PFVA had meetings with Kenyan importers and officials of the quarantine department and mutually agreed to explore the opportunities of export of Pakistani Kinnow to Kenya and agreed to finalize the quarantine protocols between the two countries. Transforming this mutual understanding into a trade opportunity, Pakistani Embassy in Kenya and department of Plant Protection, played a vital role and accordingly a four-member quarantine experts delegation from Kenya visited Pakistan from 02-08 January, 2022 to inspect and accredit Hot water/vapour heat treatment plants and cold sterilization facilities.

The Kenyan delegation consisted of Prof. Theophilus Mutui Managing Director KEPHIS (Head of Delegation), Dr. Isaac Macharia General Manager Phyto-sanitary Services, George Momanyi Chief Inspector and PRA Expert and Asenath Koech and visited kinnow orchards and inspected 33 plants and pack houses in Karachi, Multan and Bhalwal.

The visit of Kenyan delegation was highly successful and the Kenyan experts expressed their satisfaction on the high standard of kinnow processing plants and strict compliance on implementation of quarantine procedures -Waheed Ahmed Shared. The vital role played by Sohail Shehzad (Director Technical- DPP) leading to this successful visit will have a far reaching positive impact on Pakistani exports.

The PFVA has absorbed the complete expenses of this visit in a desperate desire to further enhance exports.

According to Waheed Ahmed, after the successful visit of the quarantine delegation, it is strongly anticipated that export of Pakistani kinnow would commence to Kenya during the current season. He further hoped that Kenya would become a gateway for Pakistani exports in Eastern Africa and simultaneously with export of kinnow, the Kenyan market would prove to be a good market for Pakistani mango as well.

With commencement of export of kinnow during the current season it’s anticipated that Kenya can become a promising International market of 40,000 – 50,000 tons of Pakistani Kinnow.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022