Pakistan fruit and veg exporters hampered by poor infrastructure and post-harvest skills

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Pakistan’s fruit and vegetable export trade is being hampered by poor infrastructure, low productivity, and a lack of expertise in post-harvest management and marketing techniques, reports Dawn.com. Nearly 25% of the 13.67m tonnes of fruits and vegetables produced in Pakistan each year are reported to go to waste post-harvest due to a lack of hygiene and absence of quality controls, plus sub-standard transport and cooling facilities. The country exports just 10-15% of its total fruit output and is failing to keep up with competing nations both on trade volumes and prices.