Islamabad          -         Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research has said that Pakistan has exported 120,000 tonnes mangoes during 2020. During the peak of the pandemic, Pakistan exported mangoes to many countries of the world, said Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam on Thursday while attending Mango Festival at Centaurus Mall.

He added that during the peak of the pandemic, Pakistan exported mangoes to many countries of the world. The country has registered a sharp rise in the export of fruits and vegetables despite COVID-19.The fruit also helps sweeten diplomatic relations. Federal Minister added that we need to do value addition of our mangoes and need to do its branding. Mango is called the king of fruits, Federal Minister added that Where kings built palaces, they planted mango trees. Meanwhile, chairing the meeting at National Locusts Control Centre (NLCC), Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam said that anti locust operation is carried out in Tharparkar and Lasbella. NLCC Coordinator Lieutenant General Moazzam Ejaz also co chaired the meeting. Till now 495,985,00 hectares (HA) have been surveyed and 110,660,0 HA have been treated. Trenching is done in Tharparkar for bio-compost with a view to promote organic farming in the country. The pilot testing of the project is carried out in Thar, and if 10 per cent of population in the area becomes active, the ministry of national food security and research expects a force of 222,000 people in local community that would be available to combat the attack of desert locusts. The government is paying Rs25 per kg of locust. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) mentioned that Kenya and Saudi Arabia are interested in institutionalising the locust base information.

As per the forecast, in Pakistan, control operations continue against hopper groups and bands in southeast Sindh near Nagarparkar and the India border. Low numbers of adults are present in Cholistan and Lasbela where breeding will occur. In India, only a few spring-breed adult groups and swarms remain in northern Rajasthan as most of the first-generation laying eggs have finished. As a result, widespread hatching and the formation of hopper groups and bands is underway. During the briefing it was told that Pakistan is well prepared to take any threat and is ready to deal with any kind of scenario. For threat from Horn of Africa (HoA), NLCC will not lower its guards. Locust can be trapped through Integrated Pest Management (IPM). SUPARCO mentioned that it is working on crop damage assessment and Swarm Movement Model. Pakistan Meteorological Department mentioned that more monsoon currents are expected to penetrate in Sindh from Friday (evening) to Sunday. Scattered rain/wind-thundershower, with few/isolated heavy falls, are expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Shaheed Benazirabad, Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas, Umar Kot, Sanghar and Mithi from Friday (evening/night) to Sunday.