A bumper orange crop will be harvested in Pakistan this year. According to Arif Muhamed Rana, owner of Arif Fresh Fruits, the season will also start 15 days earlier than planned: “The orange season in Pakistan will commence from the 15th of November this year. Thankfully, it seems to be a bumper crop this year, so supply will be rather strong. Although there’s a big harvest, sizes are also good for the fruit. The season is starting about two weeks early this year, which is convenient with the volumes we’ll have available. Overall, we’re expecting an increase between 20 and 25 per cent for our export volumes.”
According FreshPlaza, although there’s a higher production, Pakistani exporters shouldn’t have any problems finding a destination for these oranges. Rana explains: “Demand is actually very good in all of the regions we export to, which means everything is in place for a successful season this year. Our most important markets are Indonesia, the Philippines and Russia. This year, we’re also looking to expand our foothold in new markets, such as Europe and North America.”
The fluctuating value of the US Dollar against the Pakistan rupee has increased all of the costs of production. As such, prices for oranges from Pakistan will be higher this season, Rana states: “As all of the costs for the production of oranges have increased, it’s only logical that the price of the final product is higher as well. This also has to do with the devaluation of the Pakistan Rupee against the US Dollar. The fluctuating rate of the US dollar is one of our main challenges to deal with, as we can’t keep changing our prices towards our clients.”
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Arif Fruits is ready for the upcoming season and will have a clear focus: “For the season, our goal is to remain focused and try and increase our customer base in both existing markets, as well as the new markets I’ve stated before. At the same time, we can’t compensate on the quality that we’ve maintained for our products over the last 35 years. So it’ll be hard work, but hopefully a satisfying result in the end!” Rana concludes.
