ISLAMABAD, Aug 12: Pakistani potatoes currently have export market access to 36 countries, with requirements varying from routine phytosanitary certification to import permits and additional country-specific conditions.
According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the Ministry of National Food Security and Research’s Department of Plant Protection (DPP) has compiled a Market Access and Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Compliance Matrix covering 36 countries where Pakistani potatoes currently enjoy export market access.
Of these 36 markets, exports to 17 countries can be undertaken through routine phytosanitary certification without additional SPS conditions. For 10 countries, a valid import permit issued by the importing country’s authorities is mandatory before issuance of the phytosanitary certificate.
The remaining nine countries have specified import conditions, including additional declarations on the phytosanitary certificate, certification of pest-free production areas, disinfestation of packing materials and shipping containers, and compliance with country-specific phytosanitary requirements.
To facilitate exporters during the peak potato export season, DPP staff has been deployed round-the-clock at major potato production, storage and processing clusters, including Okara, Depalpur, Kasur and Pakpattan. The DPP has also nominated a focal person for potato export facilitation and grievance redressal.
The DPP has also strengthened export facilitation through enhanced coordination with national plant protection organizations of importing countries, facilitation of exporter registration, streamlined phytosanitary certification, pest surveillance and monitoring, stronger inspection and quarantine services, compliance with international phytosanitary standards, and continuous engagement with stakeholders to address market access issues.
The documents show that Russia had banned the import of potatoes from Punjab, Pakistan, citing concerns over the alleged presence of Potato Tuber Moth and Tomato Wilt Virus. The DPP engaged with its Russian counterpart and provided scientific evidence supporting Pakistan’s phytosanitary system and pest-free status concerning the organisms of concern.
Following sustained diplomatic and technical efforts and bilateral consultations between the two National Plant Protection Organizations, Russian authorities acknowledged Pakistan’s technical justifications and evidence. Consequently, the ban on the import of potatoes from Punjab has been lifted, restoring market access for Pakistani potato exports to Russia.
The document states that the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) has shown greater interest in value-added potato products, particularly processed commodities such as potato chips and potato starch, owing to relatively simpler quarantine requirements and more efficient market access procedures.
Cambodia has emerged as a positive market-access case. Pakistan sent a market access request in February 2026. Market access was granted on February 28, 2026, and circulated to all stakeholders.
For Vietnam, pest risk assessment comments were submitted in February 2026. A response received in April 2026 showed that the Plant Production and Protection Department of Vietnam was working on potato in priority order, along with citrus and mango.
The documents further show that Mexico, Japan, Argentina, Thailand, the Philippines and the European Union are also part of ongoing PRA or market-access engagement.
The measures combine country-specific SPS requirements, round-the-clock certification support, technical engagement with importing countries and a dedicated grievance-redressal mechanism for potato exporters.
