Exporter-friendly behaviour, infrastructure urged

PESHAWAR: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Standing Committee on Horticulture and Agri Produce on Thursday said that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government should introduce exporter-friendly behaviour and infrastructure at the Peshawar Airport in order to facilitate fruit and vegetable exporters, a statement said.
The exporters, in a meeting at FPCCI regional office, said on a daily basis around 25 tons of vegetable is exported off season and 40 tons of vegetable is exported on season from Peshawar airport but the export is managed by only one Department of Plant Protection (DPP) official who inspects the quarantine procedures of the produce.
The SAPS officials at Peshawar airport charge from the exporters for scanning their shipments at the airport, regardless of the facilitation authorized by the government.
Similarly, checking procedure of the vegetable shipments by the custom officials at Peshawar airport is also not up to the standards as their way of inspection some time injures certain level of consignment, the exporters said and added that when scanners are available then there is no need for manual inspection and even if they want to check it manually they can use the “random sampling procedures” as per the SOP.
The FPCCI Standing Committee chairman Ahmad Jawad said horticulture exporters of KPK deserve cooperation and caring attitude by the custom and SAPS officials. Customs and SAPS officials should provide their best to facilitate Pakistani exports.
He also said National Food & Security ministry should direct the DPP to appoint more staff at Peshawar office. In this regard formal letter was sent to the Secretary of National Food & Security to facilitate KPK fruit vegetable exporters.
“We must realize the horticulture sector exports contributed in national exchequer and it’s the responsibility of government to help and facilitate them,” he added.
He also urged KPK government to devise export promoted policies for the fruit, vegetable exporter’s and provide infrastructure including processing units, modern cold storages under Public Private Partnership mode (PPP) in the upcoming budget.