Karachi: The All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers & Merchants Association’s (PFVA) Delegation discussed the challenges relating to the export of fruits and vegetables in general and orange in particular.
PFVA, in the meeting, highlighted challenges posed in Trade with Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Iran.
A delegation of Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association led by Chief Patron Waheed Ahmed arranged a meeting with Abdul Razzaq Dawood, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and apprised him of the problems facing the export of fruits and vegetables, especially kinnow.
Abdul Razzaq Dawood appreciated the role of PFVA in increasing exports of fruits and vegetables and assured all possible steps to address the issues that are being faced.
PFVA’s timely initiative, to address the increase in import duty by the Sri Lankan Government, was also appreciated by Abdul Razzaq Dawood. PFVA took up the issue at the diplomatic level by withdrawing the CESS and therefore attaining the export target of 350,000 metric tons.
Waheed Ahmed informed that Afghanistan where 100,000 tons of Pakistani kinnow is exported has imposed duty on Pakistani orange.
He also approached MoC to promote Pak-Afghan trade so that Afghanistan also withdraws duty on import of Pakistani kinnow
The advisor said that Pakistan is in need of the people from Afghanistan to become economically powerful and that current procedures to promote Pak-Afghan trade should be made easy and feasible.
He also expressed that the duty system is being checked and streamlined to promote Pak-Afghan trade at the same time.
It was also decided at the meeting that a conference on kinnow will be held in February 2021 with a view to evaluating the cultivation of kinnow and exports-related problems of the kinnow industry.
The conference will be conducted under the patronage of MoC, while MNFSR, Punjab’s provincial ministry of agriculture, would also promote the conference.
The Academy of Agriculture, farmers, exporters, and other stakeholders will also participate in this important meeting.
