Recently, the General Administration of Customs of China notified the Ministry of National Food Security and Research of Pakistan through the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan that it will conduct compliance inspections of local orchards and cold storage facilities through online video. The notification letter also pointed out that China has authorized the import of cherries from several regions in Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistandi.

At the beginning of November last year, during the visit of Pakistani Prime Minister Shabaz to China, the General Administration of Customs of China and the Ministry of Food Security and Research of Pakistan signed the "Pakistan Export of Fresh Cherry Plant Quarantine Requirements Protocol", marking that Pakistan's fresh cherries have won the Chinese market access. On April 3 this year, customs clearance at the Hongqirab Port in Xinjiang, located on the Pamir Plateau, resumed. This is the only land port between China and Pakistan. It has been closed for nearly three years due to the epidemic. The opening of this port has brought Pakistani cherry exports to China a step forward.

According to the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement, Pakistani cherries that meet the requirements can enjoy zero tariffs when exported to China. However, limited by processing, packaging, storage and transportation conditions, it is still difficult to export Pakistani cherries to China.

According to Zulfiqar Monin, a Pakistani fresh fruit exporter, cherries grown in Pakistan, especially in Gilgit-Baltistan, are juicier than normal cherries, but they are also extremely perishable. According to the current phytosanitary requirements, Pakistani cherries "cannot be exported to China," he said. The main problem is that Pakistani cherries have to be chilled before being exported to China. The cold treatment temperature is required to be 0.56°C or below for more than 18 consecutive days, or 1.67°C or below for 22 days or more.

The cherries grown in Pakistan can basically only withstand one week of cold treatment, so according to the current regulations, these cherries are basically not suitable for export to China. At the same time, Gilgit-Baltistan does not have packhouses and adequate cold storage facilities to process the cherries in accordance with regulations. Therefore, the Pakistani cherry industry hopes that China can relax the requirements. Another alternative is to grow locally imported varieties of cherries that produce more hardy cherries, which can be stored for about 25 days at prescribed cold treatment temperatures. The latter option requires a long-term plan to expand Pakistan's exports to China.

Gilgit-Baltistan is one of Pakistan's major cherry-growing regions, producing a variety of cherry varieties including black cherries, while dark cherries are particularly popular with consumers in China. According to reports, the Pakistani cherry industry is optimistic about China's huge cherry market. In 2022, China will import a total of 367,000 tons of cherries, worth 2.77 billion US dollars, most of which will come from Chile.