The Pakistani mango, collateral victim of the war in the Gulf

In the countryside around Tando Allahyar, in southern Pakistan, the mango season is in full swing and the harvest is well underway.

But the mines are serious: the war in the Middle East is seriously compromising the exports of this local treasure.

The conflict has brought down demand from the Gulf countries, one of its main outlets, and multiplied transport prices by four or five, depending on the sector.

And the fragile memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday between Washington and Tehran, with the mediation of Pakistan, comes too late to reverse the trend.

“We are already suffering enormous losses,” laments Mohammad Shakeel, a farmer, stressing that some of his peers have given up harvesting despite the costs advanced.

Particularly fragrant and juicy, the Sindhri variety with golden flesh that he produces is still his pride. But not his fortune anymore.

Today, Mr. Shakeel says he is no longer even sure of covering the rental and operating costs of his orchards, which extend over nearly a thousand hectares.

With some 25 varieties cultivated, Pakistan is the world’s fourth largest exporter of mangoes, usually worth $110 million per year.

A windfall for this country which remains one of the poorest in the world.

But mango exports will fall by almost 30% this year, to 80,000 tonnes, according to Waheed Ahmed, head of the All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporter Association trade union.

“Nearly 80% of mango exports normally go to the Gulf region, Iran and Afghanistan,” he reminds AFP.

Bread or mangoes

But today, “the border with Afghanistan is closed, there is war in Iran, there is war throughout the Middle East”, deplores this official.

And despite the memorandum of understanding concluded between the Americans and Iranians with a view to putting an end to hostilities, “the main difficulties remain”, underlines Mr. Ahmed.

An example? From $1,400 last year, the shipping price of a 25-ton container of mangoes “has risen to $6,000, $7,000 this year.” And it is not about to fall back to its original level, notes the manager.

However, alternative outlets are lacking. Relations with neighboring Afghanistan have been broken since bombings in the fall and domestic demand is stalling against a backdrop of inflation at 10% due to the war in the Gulf.

In this context, mangoes, although sold off, are struggling to find buyers.

At 200 rupees per kilo (65 euro cents) on average, they are half the normal price, notes Muhammad Ashad while browsing a market in Karachi, the metropolis in the south of the country.

“There are beautiful mangoes everywhere. They are really cheap compared to other years. But despite everything, people don’t have the means to buy them,” notes this customer.

Waheed Ahmed, the representative of the agricultural sector, says nothing else. “Everything is increasing and incomes are low. Between bread and our mangoes, the question does not arise,” he notes.

Also, due to the lack of a processing sector to dry them, make juice or compote, tons of succulent Pakistani mangoes risk ending up as livestock feed, laments the profession.

When they’re not just left to rot in the orchards.