Brussels/Islamabad, (Unib Rashid) – Pakistan’s horticulture sector is poised for significant growth as the government moves to expand value-added exports, improve post-harvest management and attract investment in modern processing and supply-chain infrastructure.

Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, speaking in a discussion with Dr. Muhammad Azeem Khan, Consultant at the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC), emphasized the need to transform Pakistan’s abundant production of fruits and vegetables into globally competitive, value-added export products.

Pakistan produces more than 30 varieties of fruits and 35 varieties of vegetables, including internationally recognized products such as mangoes, cherries, chilies and bananas. However, a substantial portion of this agricultural potential is lost because of post-harvest wastage, limited processing capacity, inadequate cold-chain infrastructure and insufficient value addition.

Minister Jam Kamal said the government is focusing on expanding the production of fruit pulps, juices, dehydrated products and other processed food items to increase export earnings and reduce losses. The strategy also seeks to attract international investors, promote corporate farming and develop a modern, science-based supply chain supported by improved cold storage, packaging and processing facilities.

The minister highlighted the importance of strengthening food safety and quality standards to enable Pakistani horticultural products to access high-value international markets and compete more effectively with exporters from other major producing countries.

Recent PHDEC initiatives have also contributed to the sector’s development, including the establishment of new dehydration units, increased cherry exports to China and the distribution of more than one million fruit-bagging kits among farmers to improve crop quality.

At FoodAg-2025, PHDEC facilitated export agreements and business deals worth approximately $45 million, further demonstrating the potential for Pakistani horticultural products in international markets.

Despite these developments, the sector continues to face major challenges, including low agricultural productivity, climate change, inadequate post-harvest infrastructure and gaps in compliance with international food safety and quality requirements.

The Commerce Minister outlined an ambitious roadmap to increase Pakistan’s horticulture exports to $2 billion within the next three years, leveraging the country’s diverse agricultural base and growing international demand for fresh and processed food products.

The global horticulture market is projected to reach approximately $388 billion by 2034, presenting Pakistan with a significant opportunity to increase its share of international trade through value addition, technological modernization and stronger integration of farmers with global supply chains.

The government believes that greater investment in processing, cold storage, packaging, food safety and export-oriented agriculture can help Pakistan move beyond the export of raw produce and establish itself as a competitive supplier of high-value horticultural products in global markets.