Pakistan, June 22 -- Pakistan's mango season has opened with a reminder that even as the Middle East steps back from the edge of the cliff, economic aftershocks would be much harder to contain.

Mangoes are not just another seasonal crop. They are the king of Pakistan's fruit exports, a source of foreign exchange, a pillar of rural employment and one of the few Pakistani products with genuine emotional currency abroad. For years, mango diplomacy has carried soft-power value, with boxes of Sindhri, Chaunsa and Anwar Ratol sent to foreign leaders, diplomats and diaspora communities as edible proof of national goodwill.

Sadly, this year, exporters expect mango export sales to fall by at least 30 per cent. Shipments may drop to around 80,000...