KARACHI: A record shipment of 165,000 tonnes of mango worth $60 million was achieved this season as compared to 118,000 tonnes last year, valuing $38 million.

All-Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importer and Merchants Association chairman Waheed Ahmed said mango export got underway with limited quantities to Japan followed by trial shipment to Australia.

He said problems emerged in sending mango shipment this year as the UK rejected mango consignment from Pakistan while big export opportunities were also lost in Japan and US.

In a statement, he said quality related issues also cropped up at Dubai market, causing huge losses to exporters during June. Waheed said exporters lost Iranian market of 30,000 tonnes causing loss of $10 million this season.

However, huge demand of mango arrived during Ramazan in markets, like Saudi Arabia, Middle East, UAE, Afghanistan and Central Asia which fetched better prices as compared to last year, he said.