The European Commission, through a notification on March 27 last year, banned imports from India and also alerted Pakistan about possible imposition of ban on import of these products if measures were not taken to ensure pest-free exports in the future.
According to details, EU rapid alert system (SANCO), through notification number 94,760, informed that on June 14, a mango shipment weighing 5,135Kg exported to M/S Dharma Trading Holanda, Netherlands was intercepted with fruit flies which led to entry refusal of the mango consignment in the Netherlands.
Similarly, EU rapid alert system through notification number 95380 informed that on July 14, one mango consignment weighing 3,050 kg was exported to the UK has been intercepted with fruit fly larvae and was destroyed by the UK authorities. An additional mango consignment with 1,440kg being exported to the UK, number 95393, was also intercepted with fruit fly larvae.
Sources said it is the responsibility of the department to give approval after full inspection to only those plants that fulfil the criterion to exports but some officials of the department did not bother to honour this procedure and allowed few companies to export to EU countries.
Sources said it time that the government intervene and launch an investigation into the issue before it is too late and Pakistan faces 5-year ban from EU.
Pakistan exported record mango of 91,700 metric tonnes during the fruit season in 2014 as compared to 102,000 metric tonnes during 2013. Pakistan achieved success in mango export by giving attention on quality of international standard. However, at least 236 consignments of mangoes being exported to EU were intercepted during 2013.
