Mirpur Khas : City of mangoes
Mirpur Khas, a city in Sindh province of Pakistan, holds prominent position in mango cultivation. It is known as “City of Mangoes” and has been celebrating an annual mango festival since 1955. The city hosts the National Mango and Summer Fruits Festival every year, where hundreds of growers display their mangoes and compete for prizes. The festival attracts visitors from all over the country and abroad, who come to taste and purchase delicious mangoes. The city, founded by the Talpur dynasty in 1806, boasts a rich history and vibrant culture. However, mango cultivation in Mirpur Khas dates back several centuries and has passed down through generations as a traditional practice.
The favorable climate, fertile soil, and abundant water supply from the River Indus make Mirpur Khas an ideal location for mango orchards. The region is home to several popular and commercially significant mango varieties, including the highly sought-after Sindhri mango. Other varieties grown in the area include Chaunsa, Langra, Anwar Ratol, Dusehri, Saroli, Neelam, and many more. Mirpur Khas mangoes have earned a well-deserved reputation for their exceptional taste, aromatic fragrance, and overall quality, making them highly prized both domestically and globally. The mango production season typically begins in May and continues until September.
Pakistan as a whole is a major mango-producing country, annually yielding around 1.8 million tons of mangoes. The country has an average cultivation area of 167 thousand hectares, with an average yield of 10 tons per hectare. Alongside Punjab, Sindh is one of the primary provinces involved in mango production, contributing approximately 32% of the country’s total mango output. Although the mango cultivation area and production in Sindh have remained relatively stable from 2014 to 2022, there has been a slight decline in yield during this period.
The export of Mirpur Khas mangoes plays a crucial role in Pakistan’s economy. These mangoes are exported to various countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. To ensure the mangoes reach their destination in optimal condition, the export process involves careful packaging, quality control measures, and adherence to international standards.
India and Pakistan are significant players in the global mango market, with the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom being important destinations for mango exports from both countries, driven by the demand from the South Asian diaspora. India’s Alphonso mango and Pakistan’s Sindhri and Chaunsa mangoes are renowned for their unique flavors and premium quality.
The following orchards are renowned for their high-quality mangoes, and the mentioned varieties are among the popular ones grown in Mirpurkhas. Gondal Farms: This farm cultivates 16 different varieties of mangoes, including Gulab Khas, Sindhri, Chaunsa, Anwar Ratol, and Dusehri.Raja Khaskheli Fruit Farm: Known for growing 14 varieties of mangoes.Kachelo Fruit Farms: Spanning over a vast 1,000-acre, Kachelo Fruit Farms cultivates 12 varieties of mangoes.
However, Pakistan faces numerous challenges in mango exports. Factors such as high freight costs, a shortage of refrigerated containers for transportation, and a lack of value addition in the mango supply chain pose significant hurdles. Additionally, the process of export documentation formalities is time-consuming and complex. Mango trees in Pakistan are susceptible to various pests and diseases, including fruit flies, mango hoppers, anthracnose, and powdery mildew. Moreover, mango growers often struggle with limited access to credit and financial support, making it difficult for them to invest in improving their orchards, adopting modern farming techniques, and mitigating the risks associated with mango cultivation. Pakistan also faces tough competition from other mango-exporting countries, including India, Mexico, Brazil, and Thailand. These countries maintain higher quality standards, better packaging and branding, and improved market access. Compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary measures of importing countries is essential to avoid product rejection or quarantine. Addressing these challenges requires the intervention and support of the government, private sector, and international organizations. Improvements in quality control infrastructure, facilitation of export market access, investments in transportation and logistics infrastructure, promotion of effective pest and disease management practices, and financial support can enhance the productivity and profitability of mango exports from Sindh.
—The writer is contributing
columnist, based in Mirpur Khas, Sindh.
Email: azeembaaghi@yahoo.com
