Minister Assures Required Support To Fruit And Vegetable Exporters

KARACHI, Jan 4 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 04th Jan, 2017 ) : Country's exporters of fruit and vegetable to European Union facing loss due to decline in the value of euro and pound sterling will be provided needed assistance, said Federal Minister for National food Security and Research, Sikander Hayat Bosan.

Addressing a meeting organized by Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association Wednesday, he assured that the matter will be placed before the Ministry of Finance. "Government is committed to facilitate the exporters as their contribution to the national economy can not be ignored," he said.

The minister acknowledged that since June last year a significant decline was registered in the purchase value of both euro and pound sterling turning Pakistani exporters one of the victims of collateral damage.

Supporting the PFVEA proposal, Bosan said the affected exporters can be granted certain subsidy in the taxes, with particular reference to with holding tax and export duty so as to help them bear the loss.

The meeting also discussed quarantine related matters of fruit and vegetable exports to European countries via air services. He on the occasion also assured to help reduction in the analysis certificates fee, worth Rs.

45.000, prerequisite for every single Kino consignment meant for Indonesia.

Sikander Hayat Bosan said a consolidated analysis certificate may be issued by Pakistan Scientific and Industrial Research Council (PCSIR) to more than 100 local exporters on sharing basis. He hoped that this will markedly reduce the expenditure incurred on export of Kino and consequently increase the export of the same good to the destined country.

The meeting among others was also attended by PFVA officials including its Chief Coordinator, Waheed Ahmed, Chairman, Abdul Maalik, Secretary, Ilyas Khan and Senior Member Aslam Pakhali. Head of Plant Protection Department, Imran Shami, Deputy Director, Hussain Jaffar and Tariq Khan were also present on the occasion.

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research said the issue of smuggling of fruits and vegetable from neighboring countries would also be addressed. Referring to the fact that Thailand, Philippine and South Africa can be potential markets for locally grown fruits and vegetables, the meeting agreed that absence of quarantine related agreements with these countries ought to be handled on urgent basis.

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