ISLAMABAD: Nationwide Meeting Speaker Asad Qaiser has mentioned that Pakistan’s 0.three per cent market share within the $1.6 trillion international meals and agricultural commerce will not be commensurate with the nation’s inherent agricultural potential.
Presiding over a gathering of the Nationwide Meeting Particular Committee on Agricultural Merchandise on Thursday, Mr Qaiser instructed the sub-committee, Ministry of Commerce (MoC) and the Ministry of Nationwide Meals Safety & Analysis (MNFSR) to plan a coherent plan to spice up Pakistan’s agricultural exports and submit the report back to the committee inside two weeks.
Minister for Nationwide Meals Safety and Analysis Syed Fakhr Imam endorsed the views of the NA speaker and mentioned that improved compliance with worldwide meals security and high quality requirements — notably the sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) protocols — have been indispensable to Pakistan’s enduring quest for improved entry to excessive finish markets.
The MoC, MNFSR and the provincial agriculture departments briefed the committee on Pakistan’s agricultural commerce. The committee was knowledgeable that Pakistan share within the international agricultural exports is 0.3pc whereas the nation’s agricultural exports have grown by 2pc over the past two fiscal years. The present tariff rationalisation and free commerce settlement with China would supply important increase to agri-exports, the committee was knowledgeable.
NA panel was knowledgeable Pakistan’s share in international agri exports stands at 0.3pc
The MoC officers briefed that fish and fish preparations, fruits, greens and meat and meat preparation merchandise have been precedence sectors for export. The committee members raised issues relating to decline in rice exports. 1.9 million tonnes of rice is on the market in inventory and arrival of the subsequent crop with out a backup plan to export present inventory would suppresses the costs within the home market resulting in important losses the farmers, they members opined.
The NA speaker directed the commerce ministry officers to name all of the stakeholders and devise a coherent technique to export the present inventory of rice. He additionally sought a report from the ministry inside one month.
The committee was knowledgeable that the commerce ministry was steering pilot tasks to remodel Pakistan’s present orchards to excessive density orchards for improved productiveness and higher market entry. The committee members acknowledged that Pakistani agricultural merchandise wouldn’t be capable to entry excessive in markets with out improved and strict compliance with international meals requirements notably the SPS requirements.
It was confused that with out stringent regulation and certification of the nurseries, it will be futile to extend exports. The committee really helpful that the sub-committee of the Particular Committee on Agricultural Merchandise ought to totally study the important thing obstacles, coverage lacunas and institutional hurdles to extend Pakistan agricultural export.
The committee additionally deliberated upon the issues of the tobacco farmers and directed Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB) to make sure that no inventory is left unsold with the farmers. The NA speaker urged the PTB and MNFSR to conduct a third-party survey for figuring out the price of manufacturing of tobacco.
The tobacco firms and the PTB assured that no inventory could be left unsold. The committee urged cigarettes business to facilitate the farmers and finish their struggling by means of well timed buy and higher profitability.
The committee additionally directed the commerce ministry to convene a joint assembly with the tobacco exporters and devise a plan to facilitate tobacco export to the regional international locations and past.
Revealed in Daybreak, August 13th, 2021
