KARACHI (APP) - A Pakistani company has entered into a joint venture with a US company for marketing Pakistani mangoes in American market. "Our firm M/s Rishad Mateen & Company has obtained an import permit for shipping our mangoes to USA and we are currently engaged in completing formalities for selling Pakistani mangoes under a renowned brand", said Mateen Siddiqui, a leading exporter of fruits and vegetables and a former president Pakistan Fruits and Vegetables Exporters Association. He said that branded mango will get a better price in USA market than non-branded. He said that Pakistani mangoes have to undergo a radiation treatment before they are allowed to be sold in USA and for this purpose we will pay a fee for radiation treatment at the treatment plant in Iowa state. "Under the initial agreement, these mangoes had to be treated in Lahore, but since United States inspectors could not visit Pakistan this year to grant approval to this plant, this test would now be done in the treatment plant located in Iowa state", he added. Mateen said that since Iowa is 1300 kilometer away from Chicago, the US company will bear the cost of transportation within the United States while our company will bear the cost of shipment to USA.He said that his company will also utilize the expertise of Horticulture Export Development Company for mango exports to USA. Mateen pointed out that Pakistan has a good crop of mango this year and we have sufficient surplus for export. "The mango export has already started and we hope to export more than 150,000 metric tons of mango, most of it through sea and about 22,000 tons by air", he noted. He said that some of the exporters had despatched their mangoes from May 20, but they suffered losses. The actual export began from June 3 and hopefully will continue till the first week of July, he observed. He said the crop was delayed by 15 to 20 days this season and therefore, export shipments were also delayed.