Pakistan will move forward with a duty-free import of 13,000 onions to cover the shortage of vegetables. The shortfall of vegetables was a result of a flood that engulfed one-third of the entire country. The flash flooding disrupted food commodities in the regions destroying numerous crops.
Prior to the shortage, the government decided to import vegetables from Iran and Afghanistan. The government has issued a permit expected on Thursday said, Patron-in-Chief of Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Importers and Exporters Association (PFVA), Waheed Ahmed.
The countries including Turkey, China, UAE, and Egypt made a deal with Pakistan. And around 15 to 20 days the cargo will be received. He confirmed that the arrival of tomatoes and onions from Iran and Afghanistan has started.�These prices will be duty-free in imports with better prices for the consumers.�
Onion production in Pakistan
Around 131.4 thousand hectares with 1.8 million tones of production of onions are produced in Pakistan. Districts among the most onion production are Kasur and Vehari in Punjab; Hyderabad, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, Dadu, Badin, Naushero Feroze, Ghotki, and Shikarpur in Sindh; Swat and Dir in NWFP; and Chaghi, Kharan, Kalat, Nasirabad, Mastung, Killa Saifullah, Khuzdar, Turbat, and Jaffarabad in Balochistan. They make up around 77% of the entire onion production in Pakistan.
