Kashgar International Airport is set to become the first and only designated entry point for fruit imports in the south of China's Xinjiang province.

Local news site Iyaxin.com reported the airport received official approval for the designation Kashgar, Xinjiang. Photo: DPerstin, Flickr Creative Commons from the country's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) on Feb. 12.

Currently, there are two other fruit import entry points in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region - the Urumqi International Airport and the Khunjerab Pass.

On Dec. 11, AQSIQ dispatched a team of officials to inspect the conditions of the Kashgar airport. The provincial-level Xinjiang Entry-Exit Inspection And Quarantine Bureau released a statement a week later, announcing it had passed approval tests.

"As of now, there are over a dozen storages in the airport, with each holding a capacity for more than 100 cubic meter of fruits. This shows Kashgar airport's considerable storage capacity," Kashgar Entry-Exit Inspection And Quarantine Bureau Prepatory Office prefectural-level Director Kejian Wang was quoted as saying.

"From now on, Pakistani mango and citrus exporters can be assured of sufficient storage room after their products left Pakistan," Wang told the publication.

Yimit Resuri, Deputy Director at the Xinjiang Entry-Exit Inspection And Quarantine Bureau told newspaper Xinjiang Daily that citrus and mangos from Pakistan, and cherries from Tajikistan are currently allowed into China.

Wang added that transportation time for Pakistani fruits to China would also be significantly cut down.

"Before the establishment of the new entry point, imported fruits from Pakistan must be carried on ground transportation through the Khunjerab Pass. This long land route poses high risk of transportation damage to the fruits. In contrast, with the new air entry point, Pakistani fruits can quickly arrive in Kashgar after a 70-minute flight," Wang was quoted as saying.

"The Kashgar Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau is working closely with the Kashgar airport, Pakistani-based Rayyan Airlines and a variety of international trade firms on the promotion of the new import options."

FreshFruitPortal.com www.freshfruitportal.com

FreshFruitPortal.com