China has referred to Pakistan a new protocol which said that the implementation of the standards laid down in the document were the only way out for Islamabad to get relaxation in ban on export of fruits to Beijing. The new protocol stresses upon the need of quality of the fruits and processing to make it safe for human consumption after unloading at ports in China.
The protocol said that any shipment from Pakistan would need certification from Pakistan's health department that fruit packed meets the criterion/ standards.
According to the protocol, each shipment of fruits that would touch any port in China would be thoroughly checked and certified by the authorities of its health ministry.
The document, particularly, underlines the need of quality packing material, heat vapour processing to make it fit for human consumption as per international standards.
Sources said Islamabad and Beijing had held a series of meetings during the last one-year to strike down difference over export of fruit from Pakistan to China.
The officials of the Food ministry who have been privy to the decisions taken during the various meeting in this connection are hopeful of good days as far as the export of fruits to China is concerned.
An official of the ministry told this correspondent that provinces were putting in their best efforts to enable exporters to fulfill requirements laid down in the protocol.
According to the official, the government has assigned the job to the ministry of Science and Technology to set up heat-processing centres in all major cities to meet the protocol demand.
He hoped that Pakistan would not face any problem in meeting protocol requirements since all the players to the issue were making their level best to meet the requirements and get share in Chinese market.
China had been a major market for Pakistani fruits over the years. But things changed altogether in 2003, when Beijing refused to accept shipments of fruits from Pakistan on various pretext; one major reason among many being the packing material.
Pakistani exporters who were historically using wooden box for their shipments were not ready to accept the change. However, they were left with no other option but to change their style and meet the demands of Beijing to secure their share in the Chinese market.