(MENAFN- Arab Times) Jbah chawan may 18 (afp): pakistani mango growers are hoping to take a slice out of rival india's export market thanks to tough new european regulations. the sweet yellow fruit is a contentious matter regionally with both countries proclaiming it a national treasure and fighting over whose specimens are superior. economically at least mango exports are one area where pakistan appears to have a slight edge. according to respective official figures pakistan last year exported around 100000 tonnes for a revenue of $48.6 million over india's 56000 tonnes for $44.6 million. but a european union (eu) ban on india's prized alphonsos known as the 'king of fruits' has presented pakistan with a chance to widen the gap. the embargo came into force on may 1 after many shipments were found to contain fruit flies and also affected four types of vegetable.
for raja ijaz ahmed noon parliamentary secretary for pakistan's breadbasket punjab province improving farming standards and learning where india went wrong is critical to cashing in. 'we are taking this development as positive. we are trying to learn from the mistake which india has made' he said. noon was speaking after a seminar of 50 landowner-farmers at a fruit-farm 40 kms (24 miles) north-east of the central city of multan to learn new methods of protecting mangoes from hazardous insects. 'we have a potential to export 40 percent of our total production of mangoes and this year we will try to improve our exports up to 16 percent' he told afp. syed ismat hussain a senior pest control official said his department was visiting farms and orchards to spread the word about the lucrative profits available if pakistan can continue to meet eu standards. 'fruit fly hasn't only affected india but has threatened our orchards also. so we have devised simple but scientific methods to control it' he said. experts are busy hanging plastic bowls on mango trees that are laced with chemicals that mimic female-fly pheromones to attract males. 'the holes are for the flies to enter but they never fly out' said hussain. the so-called sex-trap is fast becoming an industry standard.
meanwhile a special awareness campaign on fighting the insect has also been initiated in newspapers and on television and social media. syed zahid hussain gardezi president of the mango growers association of pakistan (mgap) described the taste of pakistani mangoes as 'mesmerising' and said he was hopeful about the chances for global growth in markets such as the eu america and canada if the campaign was a success. 'we have to work very meticulously very scientifically to capture those markets' he said. the experts had also being extolling the benefits of so-called 'hot water treatment' which involves immersing the fruit in water at 52 degrees celsius (126 degrees fahrenheit) to kill larvae within the mango pulp. the practice has become a common substitute for fumigation that is seen as harmful to human health. the ban on european imports of india's alphonso mango ? prized for its perfumed aroma and buttery flesh ? is drawing anger from british indians who say the move is unfair and deprives them of one of summer's sweetest flavours. the 'king of fruits' and other indian mangoes were banned by the european union from may 1 after fruit flies which officials said could threaten crops were found in shipments last year. while a fightback has been launched many british indians are resigned to going without their favourite alphonsos for now while the businesses who supply them are losing out financially. ahmed khan working on his stall in tooting south london an area with a large south asian population said the move would hit him hard. 'it's not fair ? it's going to mean we miss out on half our mangoes this year half our business' khan 55 told afp. 'life is too short for politicians to interfere ? i hear they are now exporting alphonsos to pakistan because there is a glut and they are very cheap.' rohit shah of nearby bhavin's grocers said the alphonso which can be eaten alone or used in everything from lassis to chutney had no rival in terms of taste. 'it's the smoothness of the flesh and the unique flavour ? the flesh is fibreless which is what makes them so good' said shah 62. 'even during the time of the british empire they said they were the best.' britain the former colonial power in india has the eu's largest indian diaspora community. british indians number around 1.4 million out of a total population of some 60 million. citing pressure from disappointed constituents one lawmaker raised the ban in the house of commons last week. keith vaz said british citizens consumed 12 million mangoes last year alone and predicted the ban due to run to december 2015 could cost british businesses over ?10 million ($16.8 million 12.3 million euros). 'the eu has treated an important trading ally which represents a sixth of the population of the globe with disrespect' said vaz of the opposition labour party in a special debate. 'the brussels sprouts have decided to take on the mighty mango. i know whose side i am on.' a petition to the british government urging a reversal of the ban on alphonso mangoes ? first grafted in portugal's indian colonies in the 1500s ? has attracted over 2300 signatures. prime minister david cameron has pledged to raise the issue with his new indian counterpart expected to be narendra modi following his party's landslide win in the general election.
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