President Pakistan Arif Alvi to send mangoes to 17 head of state to revive mango diplomacy
Mango diplomacy is back into action as President Arif Alvi will be sending mangoes to 17 friendly nations’ head of states.
A total of over 4,800 kgs of premium mangoes will be sent, according to sources. This isn’t the first time that mangoes are being used as gifts and previous governments have indulged in this brand of diplomacy as well.
The gift of special mangoes will be sent to the leaders of friendly countries including:
- Turkey
- UK
- Italy
- Kuwait
- Saudi Arabia
- Qatar
- Oman
- Malaysia
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Singapore
- Spain
The matter came under consideration during a high-level meeting chaired by President Arif Alvi. Federal Minister for National Food Security Fakhar Imam was also present in the meeting apart from other high-ranking officials.
Cash crop
Pakistan currently exports fruits and vegetables worth over $600 million a year, which is less than 0.50% of the total world trade. The government has already directed the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) as well as a number of airlines to make arrangements for deliveries in July and August.
Pakistan is known for its premium quality mangoes around the globe. Varieties such as anwer ratol, sindhri, dosehri, langra and chaunsa are known for their sweet taste and aroma. Pakistan is the sixth largest producer of mangoes in the world while being the fifth largest exporters. The country accounts for 5% share in the export market.
The gifts are a part of government’s attempt to boost international trade to better country’s balance of payments and it should certainly help the mango exports in the near future.