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KARACHI:
United Arab Emirate will relax its restriction of compulsory
import of potato from Pakistan in reefer container till such
time that summer completely sets in.
According to
information reaching Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) here
Saturday, the Government of UAE has assured Pakistani
Consulate in the Emirates that import of potatoes will be
allowed in the open top containers.
It may be noted
that UAE government under new quality standards Hazards
Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) had imposed a
restriction three months ago that potatoes and other
vegetables could only be imported in the Emirates in reefer
containers.
The vegetable
importers in UAE have assured that they will import potatoes
in large quantity before the arrival of summer.
Meanwhile,
President Fruits and Vegetables Processor and Exporters
Association Abdul Mateen Siddiqui has welcomed the decision of
UAE, saying that Commerce Ministry and EPB had played a key
role in persuading UAE authorities to postpone the restriction
till such time, local potato exporters are able to comply with
the new standards.
He said that the
compliance of new quality standards which are above ISO-9000
will cost about Rs 1.3 million to each exporters. He said that
each exporter has to get HAACP certificate at a cost of Rs
300,000 each while the compliance in the shape of building,
procedures, transport, packaging, storage, labelling will cost
about Rs 1 million to each exporter.
Mateen said that
UAE was the major market for Pakistani fruits and vegetables
and any such restriction will bound cause huge losses to local
exporters. Pakistan's exports of potatoes has been gradually
coming down from an average export of 150,000 to about 57,000
metric tons annually.
Export of Pakistan
potatoes during 2001-2002 has declined to 56,987 tonnes with a
value of $ 6.09 million compared to 58,450 tonnes worth $ 6.65
million in 2000-2001. Pakistan produces about 650,000 tonnes
of potatoes every year.
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