BEIJING, June 21 (APP)::After the signing of the China-Pakistan protocol for cherries exports and the visit of the trade delegation to Gilgit-Baltistan, soon Pakistani cherries will be available in the Chinese market, Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque said.
“Cherries of Gilgit-Baltistan are sweet and Juicy. After the signing of the China-Pakistan Protocol for cherries exports and the visit of a trade delegation to GB, soon they will be available in Chinese markets bringing a new eco opportunity for local farmers,€ he said in a statement.
China and Pakistan signed a cooperation protocol during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Beijing in November last year. Under the protocol, China will not only import cherries from Pakistan but also help local growers to enhance production.
Last month, a 15-member Chinese delegation travelled to the picturesque Gilgit-Baltistan region to explore options for buying and importing cherries from Pakistan.
The Chinese buyers hailing from Xinjiang, Zhejiang and Shandong provinces as well as the Weifang area visited in the region – home to cherry orchards in Pakistan, from May15-19.
They met local farmers, relevant officials and visited cherry orchards and inspected the quality of the exotic fruit.
As per official sources, cherry production in Gilgit-Baltistan is around 5,000 metric tons per season. And since local consumption is limited, the growers export the fruit.
Cherry is an easily perishable fruit – with little shelf life – so Pakistan has been looking for nearby destinations to export cherry. And China, being a next-door neighbor with an ever-growing appetite for the fruit, is the most viable option.
To meet the increasing demand in the Chinese market, it is very important for the growers in Gilgit-Baltistan to improve farming practices by using the latest and modern technology.
The processing and packaging facilities are important to increase the shelf life of the fruit and make its transportation easy and viable.
Doulart Karim, a Kashgar-based Pakistani logistics trader, who is ready to import Pakistani cherries this year told the media. “The cherry in the Pakistani market is too cheap…So if we have this opportunity to export our cherries to China, then we and the orchard owners, they can earn much more”.
Karim said the cherries to be exported would come from Gilgit-Balochistan, a major producer of cherries in Pakistan and noted that despite the presence of local cherry varieties in China, Pakistani cherries would still be able to carve out a niche in the Chinese market, particularly due to their organic nature.
Karim revealed that the primary market for Pakistani cherries would be China’s Xinjiang, given the proximity and ease of access, and then they planned to gradually expand to other regions of China.
China has an annual demand of around 350,000 metric tons and currently imports the bulk of its cherries from South American countries.
APP/asg