January 15, 2022 (MLN): With the commencement of export of kinnows during the current season, it is anticipated that Kenya can become a promising international market of 40,000 – 50,000 tons of Pakistani citrus, said Mr. Waheed Ahmed, the Patron-in-Chief of All Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Exporters Association (PFVA) yesterday.
The joint extensive efforts by PFVA, Department of Plant Production (DPP) serving under the Federal Ministry of National Food Security & 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 from 02-08 Jan 2022 to evaluate the import of Pakistani kinnow & mango to Kenya and expressed satisfaction with the standards of quarantine facilities.
According to Waheed Ahmed, during the 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.
Pakistani Embassy in Kenya and DDP played a vital role in transforming this mutual understanding into a trade opportunity.
The Kenyan delegation consisted of Prof. Theophilus Mutui Managing Director KEPHIS (Head of Delegation), Dr. Isaac Macharia General Manager Phyto-sanitary Services, Mr. George Momanyi Chief Inspector and PRA Expert & Ms. Asenath Koech and visited kinnow orchards and inspected 33 plants and packhouses in Karachi, Multan and Bhalwal.
Mr. Waheed hoped that Kenya would become a gateway for Pakistani exports in Eastern Africa and simultaneously with the export of kinnow, the Kenyan market would prove to be a good market for Pakistani mango as well.
