Daily Times

Minister of National Food Security and Research, Tariq Bashir Cheema Monday said that the government had succeeded to resolve 12 years long pending issue of market access of cherries exports from Pakistan to China. General Administrations of Customs China (GACC) confirmed the Department of Plant Protection (DPP), Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R), that Pakistani businessmen could export cherries to China from DPP registered orchards and Packhouses, said a news release issued here.

“This marks a huge success towards boosting exports of Pakistani cherries and the overall economy of the country”, he added. The focus courtesy of Tariq Basheer Cheema and Federal Secretary MNFS&S, Zafar Hassan regarding cherries exports and bringing exports quality to global standards was the prime factor behind this success.

Their visionary leadership and determined efforts to widen the export base of Pakistani fruits manifested in seeking market access for cherries. This market access request was pending since 2012, it added.

However, GACC after video inspection of quarantine procedures, registered orchards, cold treatment facilities and Packhouses registered with DPP with respect to sanitary and phytosanitary measures, allowed export of cherries in accordance with agreed protocol.

Department of Plant Protection took special steps to upgrade register orchards, Cold treatment facilities and packhouses as per requirements of GACC.

Tireless efforts including guidance, repeated technical compliance audits were put in this direction by DPP to ensure and enable these orchards and facilities to export cherries through improvement in food safety and phytosanitary measures besides quality, storage and packaging. Now, 90 cherry orchards and 15 cold treatment facilities and Packhouses can export cherries to China.

This is a huge achievement of Pakistan government where Department of Plant Protection under the MNFSR in close collaboration with Ministry of Commerce, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Gilgit-Baltistan Rural Support Programme (GBRSP), Agriculture Department Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Chamber of Commerce GB became able to pitch achieved this market access for cherries exports to China.