Promoting disease-free mango export: Bosan inaugurates first hot water treatment plant at Narc

Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, Federal Minister for Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFSR), inaugurated the first-ever locally manufactured Hot Water Treatment Plant at National Agriculture Research Centre (Narc) on Monday that will aid in promoting disease-free export of mangoes.
The Federal Minister also issued instructions to Narc to manufacture 15 to 20 hot water treatment plants every month over the next three months and distribute them amongst farmers to augment the pest-free export of mangoes. It would facilitate the farmers by improving safety standards of mango crop and thus enhance its exports to EU and other countries.
It is to be noted that European Union had imposed restrictions on the import of mangoes and other fruit and vegetable consignments from India this year. EU also issued yellow card to Pakistan to improve its sanitary/phyto-sanitary protocols to ensure that fruits and vegetables' export to EU countries was fully compliant to their standards. Realising the sensitivity of the matter, the Ministry issued directions to Department of Plant Protection (DPP) to put in place an elaborate system of inspection so that consignments of mangoes from Pakistan do not face rejection at the international airports.
The main threat to pest-free export of mangoes was the absence of required number of hot water treatment plants in the country, as presently only two plants are functioning in Karachi which are absolutely insufficient to meet the demand of mango exporters. Keeping in view the requirement of mango exporters, the Ministry took immediate step and directed Narc to locally manufacture small units of hot water treatment plants for mango growers. Consequently, the Federal Minister for NFSR inaugurated the first-ever locally manufactured plant. The Federal Minister said his Ministry had also put in place a comprehensive plan to control the menace of fruit fly which was the main threat to the export of mangoes.-PR