KARACHI - Pakistan is not only amongst the five most chili producing nations in the world, but is also one of the major exporters of the commodity.

The country has the potential to export 90,000 tonnes of chilies per year, which would help the country earn the much needed foreign exchange of $47 million annually.

These views were expressed by the growers at a seminar organised by TDAP on the theme of ‘Potential of Export of Chilies in collaboration with Sindh Agricultural Growth Project (SAGP) here at a local hotel on Tuesday.

The objective of the seminar was to create awareness among growers/exporters about the potential of export of chilies. Federal Minister for Food Secy and Research Sikandar Hayat attended the seminar as a Chief Guest, while Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain was also present on the occasion.

Around 150 growers from Kunri and other chili growing areas of Sindh as well as exporters of Red Chilies attended the seminar. During the seminar, the speakers emphasised that by adopting modern techniques, the quality of chilies in Pakistan will improve; resultantly boosting export of the commodity. They opined that trade of chili played an important role in the local economy.

They informed the audience that in 2014-15, Pakistan exported worth $4.7 million of chilies (powder/whole) to the world.

It was further informed that the top importing countries of chilies in the world were the USA, UK, Netherlands, Germany, Japan, Malaysia and some countries from the Middle East, while Pakistan exported most of its chilies to Saudi Arabia, UAE, Mexico, USA, Kuwait etc. Top exporters of chilies in the world are India, with a market share of 36 percent; China 11 percent; Bangladesh 8 percent; Peru also 8 percent and others 31 percent, while Pakistan had a 6 percent market share.