The Ministry of Commerce has acquired market access for exporting Pakistani cherries to China.
Sources told that this important milestone was achieved through the consistent efforts made by the Ministry of Commerce under the leadership of Secretary of Commerce Sualeh Ahmed Faruqui.
As of FY21, the total import of cherries in China is $3.6 billion. In 2021, Chilean cherries accounted for 95 percent of China’s cherry imports. Not only do Pakistani farmers, orchid growers, and exporters will get a freight advantage, the Chinese importers will save revenues by importing quality fresh cherries from Pakistan, given the physical proximity of the Gilgit Baltistan (GB) region of Pakistan with China. Therefore, this achievement has the potential to develop and transform the GB region, sources added.
In its notification, the General Administration of China Customs (GACC) the People’s Republic of China declared that China has opened up its market for Pakistan fresh cherries.
Pakistani orchards wishing to export to China, as well as packaging houses, cold stores, and the cold treatment facilities taking part in the respective export process, shall be registered by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) and approved by both the MNFSR and the GACC. The export of cherries will be subject to certain requirements relating to inspection and quarantine, biosecurity, food safety, and phytosanitary measures.
To establish a traceability system, all orchards registered for export shall adopt good agricultural practices (GAP), including keeping good sanitary conditions in orchards and integrated pest management (IPM) programs shall also be implemented, including pest monitoring, chemical or biological control and farm operations.
The packing and processing of cherries for export will be supervised by the MNFSR to ensure good sanitary conditions to prevent pest re-infection. The efforts of the government of Pakistan were instrumental in the initiation, execution, and completion of this crucial market opening for Pakistan.
