ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association (APFVEA) said on Sunday that Pakistan might not meet its target of exporting 100,000 metric tons of mangoes this year due to adverse effects of climate change on its production, with officials pinning their hopes on a surge in demand from the Middle East.
Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest mango producer and the fruit export generates millions of dollars in revenue annually, according to the APFVEA. Additionally, mangoes serve as a cultural symbol and a diplomatic tool that help the government strengthen international connections.
Pakistan has faced mango export challenges in recent years due to adverse weather, and pest and fruit fly infestation, with production declining for the third consecutive year in 2024.
The country produces around 1,800,000 metric tons of mangoes annually, with 70 percent grown in Punjab, 29 percent in Sindh and one percent grown in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“We had set a target of exporting 100,000 metric tons of mangoes this season, but it seems unachievable due to the pronounced negative impact of climate change on Pakistan’s mango orchards resulting in less production and a lack of export-quality mangoes,” Muhammad Shehzad Sheikh, the APFVEA chairman, told Arab News.
Due to the weather this year, he said, mango production was down by up to 40 percent in Punjab and 20 percent in Sindh, reducing the overall production by around 600,000 metric tons.
He said the APFVEA reduced this year’s target because it could not achieve the export target of 125,000 metric tons last year and exported only 100,000 metric tons of mangoes in 2023.
“With the export of 100,000 metric tons of mangoes during the current season, if achieved, a valuable foreign exchange of $90 million would be generated,” Sheikh said.
Expressing grave concerns, the APFVEA chairman said the effects of climate change on fruit cultivation, particularly mangoes, as well as on the larger agricultural sector were intensifying with each passing year.
“Extended winters, heavy rains, hailstorms and subsequent severe heatwaves have altered disease patterns throughout the seasons,” he explained, stressing an urgent need for research-based solutions to mitigate these effects and warning that failure to promptly do so could further jeopardize mango production and exports.
Besides climate change, the sector faces challenges like increased withholding tax and higher costs of electricity, gas, transportation, garden maintenance, pesticides and water management, which make it difficult to compete with other exporters, according to Sheikh.
On the contrary, officials said that despite production delays caused by climate change, there had been a surge in demand for Pakistani mangoes, particularly in the Middle East, that would not only make it possible to achieve the export target, but the country was also expected to exceed it.
“While the final figures will be clear by the end of the season in September, we expect around a 20 percent increase compared to last year,” Rashid Gillani, a deputy manager at the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), told Arab News. “Our target is to exceed $120 million worth of [overall] mango exports.”
Last year, around 50 percent of all Pakistani mango exports went to the Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Iran, according to the APFVEA.
Gillani said operations were now running smoothly despite production delays and more fruit was ready to be shipped, noting that TDAP had organized several mango festivals in different countries with the assistance of Pakistani missions to increase the export of the fruit.
On Saturday, the Pakistani embassy in the UAE organized a mango festival event at the Pakistan Association Dubai, in collaboration with the Pakistan Business Council. The event was attended by diplomats, foreign dignitaries, community members and government officials.
Speaking to Arab News, Ali Zeb, commercial counselor at the Pakistani embassy, said the demand for Pakistani mangoes had been steadily increasing in the Emirates and it was expected to further enhance this year, following a positive response from visitors at the Dubai festival.
“In 2022, Pakistani mango exports to the UAE totaled 41,000 metric tons, valued at $27 million, marking a 16 percent increase from the previous year,” he said. “In 2023, exports grew to approximately 50,000 metric tons, worth $31 million.”
This upward trend in mango exports to the UAE was likely to continue this year as well, Zeb added.
As climate change threatens Pakistan mango exports, surge in Middle East demand offers some hope
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As climate change threatens Pakistan mango exports, surge in Middle East demand offers some hope
- Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest mango producer and its export generates millions of dollars in revenue, according to exporters
- Additionally, mangoes serve as a cultural symbol and a diplomatic tool that help the government strengthen international connections
Netflix to release documentary on India-Pakistan’s fierce cricket rivalry on Feb. 7
- Owing to political tensions, India-Pakistan cricket matches are biggest, quickest-selling fixtures of every tournament
- Documentary to release weeks before India-Pakistan clash against in Champions Trophy tournament on Feb. 23
ISLAMABAD: Online streaming platform Netflix announced this week it would release its highly anticipated documentary profiling the fierce cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan on Feb. 7, weeks before the Champions Trophy tournament gets underway.
India and Pakistan enjoy one of the fiercest sports rivalries when it comes to cricket. Separated after partition in 1947, both nuclear-armed countries have fought three wars against each other over the past seven decades, with diplomatic ties between them remaining mostly bitter.
The political tensions make for an enthralling contest every time the two teams take a cricket field against each other. India and Pakistan clashes have been the biggest, quickest-selling and most anticipated matches of every multilateral cricket tournament, drawing thousands to stadiums across the globe and millions to TV sets worldwide.
Netflix announced it would release its upcoming sports documentary titled: “The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan” on Feb. 7. The poster of the documentary features former Indian batters Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag walking toward a cricket pitch with members of the Pakistan cricket team huddled together.
“Two nations. One epic Rivalry. 1.6 Billion prayers,” Netflix wrote in an Instagram post on Monday. “Come witness the thrill of a legacy like no other in The Greatest Rivalry: India vs Pakistan, arriving on 7th February, only on Netflix.”
The trailer of the documentary features interviews from Sehwag and former Pakistan bowling great Waqar Younis, both talking about swing bowling.
“Once the batsmen they started knowing about the reverse swing and they were also smart,” Younis says in the trailer. “So they were keeping a really close eye on the shiny side. So what we tried to do then was, we started hiding it.”
The last time India and Pakistan faced each other was at New York’s Nassau County Stadium on June 9 in the T20 World Cup. India beat Pakistan in a last-over victory, beating the green shirts by six runs in a thrilling encounter.
Both rivals are set to face each other in the Champions Trophy ODI fixture scheduled to take place in Pakistan in February. However, India will not tour Pakistan for the tournament but face the cricket rivals in Dubai on Feb. 23.
Political tensions have kept both cricket teams from touring each other’s countries over the past couple of years and playing against one another at neutral venues only during ICC tournaments.
India’s national cricket team has not toured Pakistan since 2008 due to soured political relations. Pakistan hosted the Asia Cup in 2023 but was forced to shift all of India’s matches to Sri Lanka under a “hybrid model” after India refused to send its team to Pakistan.
After India announced it will not send its team to Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy tournament, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced in December that India and Pakistan matches hosted by either country at ICC Events during the 2024-2027 cycle will be played at a neutral venue.
English cricketers seek NOC clarity from board after signing Pakistan Super League deals— report
- As per new policy, English players will be denied NOCs for overseas leagues that take place during English summer
- PSL has moved into April-May window for 2025, meaning it will clash with English season’s start for the first time
ISLAMABAD: English cricketers have sought clarity from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on whether they will be granted a no objection certificate (NOC) after a few of them were signed on Monday to play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) for the upcoming T20 league’s season this year, a report by ESPNcricinfo said.
English cricketers last November reacted sharply to the ECB’s announcement of a new policy regarding NOCs. As per the new policy, the board said players would be denied NOCs for all overseas leagues that take place during the English summer, including the PSL, the Caribbean Premier League and Major League Cricket, with the notable exception of the Indian Premier League. This means that players on white-ball contracts with their counties will be granted NOCs for competitions that do not clash with English T20 competitions, the T20 Blast or the Hundred.
The PSL has moved into an April-May window for 2025 due to the Champions Trophy tournament scheduled to be held in February and March, meaning it will clash with the start of the English season for the first time.
“English players are seeking clarity from the ECB over whether they will be granted No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) after they were signed to play in the PSL at Monday’s draft in Lahore,” ESPNcricinfo reported.
English cricketers Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Peshawar Zalmi), Sam Billings, and Tom Curran (both Lahore Qalandars) were signed during Monday’s draft. Meanwhile, James Vince (Karachi Kings), Chris Jordan and David Willey (both Multan Sultans) were all previously retained by their respective franchises.
The website said that the ECB has softened its stance on the NOCs after pressure from players, their agents and the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA). At this stage, Billings, Curran, Jordan and Willey are all expected to be granted NOCs for the PSL, it added.
“The board’s stance is that its NOC ‘consultation group’ will consider all requests against the criteria set out in November,” the report said. “ESPNcricinfo understands that in the case of the PSL, this will mean players will be eligible for NOCs if they are on white-ball contracts, or if they choose to renegotiate existing multi-format deals after the draft.”
The cricket website said six players with England central contracts registered themselves for the draft but were marked “unavailable” on a longlist sent to franchises on Sunday after the ECB clarified it would not grant them NOCs.
“These included Jonny Bairstow, who has not played for England since June, and Adil Rashid, who is a white-ball specialist,” ESPNcricinfo said.
Pakistan’s National Assembly expresses solidarity with Los Angeles fire victims as deaths rise to 24
Pakistan’s National Assembly expresses solidarity with Los Angeles fire victims as deaths rise to 24
- National Assembly passes resolution urging global organizations to come together to aid rehabilitation efforts in Los Angeles
- At least a dozen people remain missing, while 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed as per official estimates
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly this week passed a resolution expressing solidarity with the victims of the raging Los Angeles wildfires, where the death toll has climbed to 24 in the last seven days, state-run media reported.
The blazes in Los Angeles burned for a seventh straight day on Monday, reducing whole neighborhoods to ruins and levelling homes as firefighters continue to battle the flames. More than 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate from Los Angeles, while 12,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed as per official estimates.
Pakistani lawmaker Naveed Jeeva moved the resolution in the National Assembly, Pakistan’s lower house of parliament, on Monday to extend his deepest condolences to families of the Los Angeles fire victims.
“The National Assembly today passed a resolution expressing solidarity with the victims of Los Angeles fire,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Monday. “It called upon local and global organizations to come together in the spirit of humanity to aid in recovery and rehabilitation of Los Angeles.”
The wildfires have also dealt a huge economic loss to the city, with private forecaster AccuWeather estimating the damage and economic loss from the blaze at $135bn to $150bn.
Firefighters got a temporary break from the weather this weekend as the Santa Ana winds finally eased. However, weather experts on Monday forecast that the fierce winds are likely to return and threaten the progress made so far on the two massive infernos.
Meanwhile, US President-elect Donald Trump criticized local officials, saying that they had not dealt with the situation properly.
“The fires are still raging in LA. The incompetent [politicians] have no idea how to put them out,” he wrote on his Truth Social media feed. “Thousands of magnificent houses are gone, and many more will soon be lost. There is death all over the place … they just can’t put out the fires. What’s wrong with them?“
Several celebrities residing in Los Angeles have said they lost their homes to the blaze. These include Leighton Meester, Adam Brody, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Joshua Jackson, Anna Faris, Ricki Lake, Cary Elwes, Cameron Mathison, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag.
Many others, including Tara Lipinski, Chrissy Teigen, Britney Spears and more said they have evacuated as the fire continues to spread.
Pakistan eyes foreign investment as Future Minerals Forum kicks off in Riyadh today
- Petroleum Minister Dr. Musadik Malik to represent Pakistan alongside prominent petroleum companies at the three-day conference
- Pakistani delegates to meet regional, international stakeholders to highlight investment opportunities in mining sector, says state media
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Petroleum Minister Dr. Musadik Malik will take part in the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) summit in Saudi Arabia’s capital today, Tuesday, the Press Information Department (PID) said, as Islamabad eyes global partnerships to attract foreign investment in its mining sector.
The Future Minerals Forum (FMF) is the world’s premier platform for minerals, bringing together governments, international organizations, and stakeholders to collectively shape the future of minerals. With 14,000 participants from 178 countries, including 75 government representatives, FMF says it serves as a catalyst for global collaboration.
Pakistan has taken steps in recent months to attract foreign investment in its mining sector. The South Asian country is home to the Reko Diq mine located in the country’s restive southwestern Balochistan province. It is considered one of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold areas by global mining company Barrick Gold Corp, which owns the project jointly with Pakistan. Saudi Arabia offered Pakistan a 15 percent investment stake in the Reko Diq copper and gold mine project, Pakistan’s state media reported in September 2024.
“Pakistan’s Minister of Petroleum and Water Resources Dr. Musadiq Malik alongside key policymakers, state-owned entities and industry leaders will represent Pakistan at the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) in Riyadh from the 14-16th of January,” the PID said, adding that the delegation would aim to “unlock the country’s mining potential and foster international partnerships.”
The statement said Malik will represent Pakistan at the summit alongside prominent Pakistani companies such as Pakistan Petroleum Limited, Oil and Gas Development Company Limited, Mari Energies, Government Holdings (Private) Limited, Pakistan Minerals (Private) Limited, Saindak Metals Limited and others.
The PID noted that Pakistan’s government had introduced investor-friendly policies and offered incentives such as duty exemptions and tax breaks, reiterating that these measures were designed to grow the mining sector.
“During the FMF, the participants and delegates from Pakistan will conduct meetings with relevant regional and international stakeholders at the Pakistan Pavillion and host a 90-minute session, showcasing Pakistan’s geological assets, projects and investment opportunities,” the PID said.
It said Pakistan’s delegation would aim to attract international investors and drive sustainable economic growth in addition to the ministerial round table, where Malik will highlight Pakistan’s potential in the mining sector.
Pakistan set up the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a civil-military hybrid body, in June 2023 with the sole purpose of reviving the country’s frail national economy, damaged by low foreign exchange reserves, currency depreciation and record inflation. One of the key sectors that the SIFC targets is mining.
Pakistan’s state broadcaster has said the government expects up to $5 billion investment in the mining and agriculture sector by June 2025.
Pakistani commerce minister in Iraq for key trade talks after over two decades
- Relations between Pakistan and Iraq have received a boost with a number of ministerial-level exchanges in recent years
- The 9th Joint Ministerial Commission session, the first since 2001, will focus on deepening bilateral economic partnership
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Commerce Minister Jam Kamal arrived in Baghdad on Monday to lead the Pakistani delegation at key trade talks that are being held after more than two decades, the Pakistani commerce ministry said.
Kamal will lead the Pakistani side at the 9th session of the Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC), marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral relations between Pakistan and Iraq. This is the first session to take place since the previous JMC meeting held in Islamabad in 2001.
Upon his arrival at the Baghdad International Airport, the Pakistani commerce minister was received by Iraq’s Minister for Housing and Construction Bangen Rekani, Pakistan Ambassador to Iraq Muhammad Zeeshan Ahmed, and Pakistani Ministry of Economic Affairs Secretary Dr. Kazim Niaz.
“The 9th JMC session, scheduled during Mr. Jam Kamal’s visit, is expected to open new avenues for economic collaboration and further solidify the longstanding friendship between the two nations,” the Pakistani commerce ministry said.
“This visit underscores Pakistan’s commitment to fostering stronger ties with Iraq in various domains, including trade, infrastructure, and regional development.”
Relations between Pakistan and Iraq have received a boost with a number of ministerial-level exchanges in recent years. The two countries have held discussions on enhancing defense and law enforcement cooperation, focusing on counterterrorism, counternarcotics and intelligence-sharing.
The Pakistani commerce ministry said the historic nature of the JMC session highlights mutual determination of both countries to deepen their economic partnership after a hiatus of over two decades.
Kamal also discussed a range of topics of mutual interest, including enhancing trade ties, boosting economic cooperation and fostering closer collaboration in key sectors, in his meeting with the Iraqi housing and construction minister.
“Both sides expressed optimism about revitalizing bilateral engagements and addressing shared challenges,” the commerce ministry added.
