KARACHI: Realizing the losses made to exporters of the country after the Brexit in Europe, federal government has agreed to help the exporters through exemption in taxes.
Federal Minister of National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Bosan has assured the exporters of horticultural products that the proposals made by Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchant Association (PFVA) for helping its members, who faced losses after slash in value of Pound, Sterling and Euro following the historic breakup in European Union, the matter will be taken up ministry of finance.
The minster was talking to exporters during a special meeting held in Karachi to make a joint strategy for dealing with issues faced by exporters on Monday.
The meeting was also attended by patron in chief of PFVA Waheed Ahmed, Chairman Abdul Malik, Senior Member Aslam Pakhali head of Plant Protection Department Imran Shami, and others.
During the meeting the minister also agreed to soften the condition of mandatory certificate of analysis for export to Indonesia which would ultimately help the exporters to export maximum fruit/vegetable to the foreign country.
Briefing the minster, Waheed Ahmed had complained that the mandatory certification from PCSIR for every consignment with the cost of RS 45000 was adding woes of the exporters. Waheed also informed the federal minister about negative impact of the Brexit suggesting the federal government to help the exporters by exempting their consignment from some taxes.
The head of PFVA also complained that an illegal import of fruit from Iran was badly affecting the local market of fruit and vegetable. He stressed on promoting legal trade with the neighboring country adding that Iran has been a big market for Pakistani fruit.
The search of new markets for Pakistani horticultural product was also an agenda topic of the meeting which discussed that important markets including Thailand, Philippine, South Africa etc. are still untapped for want of agreement related to quarantine with these countries. The minster suggested tapping these markets through collaborative effort on the part of ministry of commerce, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and PFVA. He said a representative of quarantine department should also accompany the delegation of these bodies in foreign visits to deal with the quarantine issue.
It was also decided in the meeting that officials of quarantine department will also hold a meeting with PFVA members next week to formulate a strategy to address quarantine issues related to export through air services. The department has also agreed to make strategy for dealing with quarantine issues related to export to European countries.