Australia Pakistan Agriculture Sector Linkages Program - Mango Sector

Program activities mango sector

Mangos are one of Pakistan’s more important fruit crops with an annual production of around one million tonnes (4% of world production) and exports of 7-10% of production valued at around US$20 million per year. Pakistan receives the lowest average price per kilogram (US$0.30) of any major mango exporting country in the world, largely due to the poor quality of its fruit combined with poor marketing practices. After a decade of steadily increasing production, there is now concern in Pakistan that mango production is static or declining.

Key production issues that impact upon yield and fruit quality are inadequate orchard and irrigation/drainage management, as well as the incidence of major diseases and pests. Examples of such diseases are the sudden death of mango estimated at an incidence of more than 30% in most production areas, and malformation. Fruit flies are a widespread pest problem while mango midge appears to be an emerging new pest problem.

The industry faces major constraints and inefficiencies, among which a critical issue is the level of major losses (around 40%) in the supply chain from over-ripe, immature, damaged and diseased fruit. These losses are related to the high perishability of the mango, sub-standard production, harvesting, and postharvest practices, compounded by lack of grading, handling and storage infrastructure. If postharvest losses could be reduced, the ensuing gains would provide more and better quality fruit for local and export markets. If the supply chain were to operate more effectively it would generate more value, share it more equitably, and create more jobs.

Australia has comparative strengths in horticulture in general and mangos in particular. This spans the entire production system and supply chain. The systems approach and integration of end-users in the planning, execution and evaluation of the research is a unique attribute that could be brought to bear in Pakistan. It promises significant opportunities for impacts on productivity and more efficient supply chain systems.

Workshops

A technical workshop on mangos [1]was held 28^th to 31^st March 2006 in Multan. It covered all aspects of the Pakistan mango sector and brought together Australian mango experts and Pakistan mango scientists and extensionists with the private sector and the mango marketers in one forum. It was generally perceived to have been a very useful forum in which to obtain a broader endorsement of key training and R&D needs in the mango sector. Details of the workshop program, its participants [2] and its outcomes [3]are documented here. A series of mango quality improvement workshops has also been held in 2007 and 2008. Materials arising out of these workshops can be downloaded below.

Industry exposure visits

A mango sector exposure visit by Pakistani technical experts and agribusiness entrepreneurs to Australia was carried out in November 2006. A report will be made available here in the near future.

Scoping studies

Two studies to scope issues and constraints affecting the Pakistan mango sector were commissioned in April 2006 as a precursor to developing two appropriately targeted research, development and capacity building projects. Both studies were carried out in conjunction with the mango workshop in Multan. The first study focussed on a rapid assessment of mango diseases (in particular sudden mango dieback), as well as evaluating pest, orchard management and production problems. The second study primarily conducted a constraints analysis of mango supply chains in Pakistan. Reports for both studies are attached below.

Research, development and capacity building projects

Based on the outcomes of the mango workshop and the two scoping study reports, two research, development and capacity building projects have been designed and were launched in November 2006. The first project covers aspects of mango production and disease management [4], the second project focuses on postharvest treatment of mangos and the development of efficient mango supply chains for domestic and international markets [5].

The main collaborating institutions on the mango production project are:

• Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Australia [6]
• National Integrated Pest Management Programme, NARC, Pakistan [7]
• Institute of Plant and Environmental Protection, NARC, Pakistan [7]
• Mango Research Station Shujabad, Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Pakistan [8]
• Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan [9]
• Agriculture Research Sindh, Tandojam, Pakistan [10]
• Fruit & Vegetable Development Project [11]

The main collaborating institutions on the mango supply change project are:

• University of Queensland, Australia [12]
• Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Australia [6]
• Western Australia Department of Agriculture and Food, Australia [13]
• Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board, Pakistan [14]
• University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan [15]

Newsletters

Newsletters originating from the two mango projects can be accessed below.

• April 2007 [16]
• July 2007 [17]
• August 2007 [18]
• October 2007 [19]

Reports

As the mango projects progress in their work plans, interim reports and other important documents will be posted on this webpage.

• ASLP Australian mango case study report [20]
• ASLP mango supply chain management report [21]
• ASLP-PHDEB mango quality improvement workshops 2007 [22]
• ASLP-PHDEB mango quality improvement workshops 2008 [23]
• ASLP market development research in China [24]
• ASLP domestic market research [25]

Documents