Faryal Babar
Member
After a 12-year-long issue, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) has successfully resolved the matter of market access for Pakistani cherry exports to China.
The Department of Plant Protection (DPP), under the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, received confirmation from China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) that Pakistani cherry exporters can now ship cherries to China. This approval applies to cherries sourced from DPP-registered orchards and packing facilities.
Since 2012, this request for market access had been pending, but it was finally approved by GACC after conducting a video inspection of quarantine operations, registered orchards, cold treatment facilities, and DPP-registered packhouses, all in accordance with the established protocol for sanitary and phytosanitary precautions.
To meet the requirements set by GACC, the Department of Plant Protection took necessary steps to renovate registered orchards, cold treatment facilities, and packhouses. DPP put significant efforts into advising and conducting frequent technical compliance assessments to ensure the orchards and facilities were capable of exporting cherries. These efforts focused on strengthening food safety, phytosanitary procedures, as well as quality, storage, and packing standards. As a result, 90 cherry orchards, 15 cold storage facilities, and 15 packing facilities are now eligible to export cherries from Pakistan to China.
This agreement not only grants access to the Chinese market for Pakistani cherries but also opens up the potential for more exports to other markets, provided the quality criteria are maintained
The Department of Plant Protection (DPP), under the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, received confirmation from China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) that Pakistani cherry exporters can now ship cherries to China. This approval applies to cherries sourced from DPP-registered orchards and packing facilities.
Since 2012, this request for market access had been pending, but it was finally approved by GACC after conducting a video inspection of quarantine operations, registered orchards, cold treatment facilities, and DPP-registered packhouses, all in accordance with the established protocol for sanitary and phytosanitary precautions.
To meet the requirements set by GACC, the Department of Plant Protection took necessary steps to renovate registered orchards, cold treatment facilities, and packhouses. DPP put significant efforts into advising and conducting frequent technical compliance assessments to ensure the orchards and facilities were capable of exporting cherries. These efforts focused on strengthening food safety, phytosanitary procedures, as well as quality, storage, and packing standards. As a result, 90 cherry orchards, 15 cold storage facilities, and 15 packing facilities are now eligible to export cherries from Pakistan to China.
This agreement not only grants access to the Chinese market for Pakistani cherries but also opens up the potential for more exports to other markets, provided the quality criteria are maintained