PSQCA URGED TO ACCREDIT KHASHKHAS AS CULINARY CUISINE FOOD GRADE ITEM

The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged Shibli Faraz federal minister for Science and Technology to recommend export of Khashkhas without loss of time as SME farmers and exporters are losing opportunities in global markets and suffering due to wrong mindset. White Poppy seeds are food grade and accredited as cuisine culinary item in most countries of the world and sold on shelves and grocery shops without any restrictions.
UNISAME president Zulfikar Thaver said the ministry of Science and Technology under its then minister Fawad Chaudhry was instrumental in wisely allowing export of Hemp Bhang and it was indeed a timely decision. It would be wise if the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) is directed to urgently examine on merit the matter of Khashkhas and declare it as a food grade culinary item and recommend its export just like Bhang. India and Turkey are exporting to international markets and Pakistan is losing business. The SME exporters are getting inquiries and importers usually buy from one source so because of refusal to export Khaskhas they are losing other business of related items like dry fruits and other herbs.
Zeeshan Nazim convener Culinary Herbs and Roots Committee said

IF HEMP( BHANG ) CANIBEAS ARE OFFICIALLY ALLOWED BY GOVT. WHICH IS A 280 BILLION US$ MARKET THEN WHY POPPY SEEDS WHITE FOOD GRADE IS BEING PROHIBITED WHEN IT IS SO BENEFICIAL FOR HUMAN BEINGS & HAVE INTERNATIONALLY TRADE REVENUE MARKET OF US$ 789 BILLION DOLLARS. This is step motherly treatment and Khashkhas is grown by small farmers in Mohmand Agency Dir and almost 2000 tons is cultivated. It is also grown all along the Afghanistan /Pakistan border and if export is allowed more can be grown which will improve the living standard of the underprivileged sector.

Masood Khan convener Kyber Pakhtunkhwa said

“EVERY HOUSE HAS WHITE POPPY SEEDS FOOD GRADE (KHUSHKHAAS ) LEGALLY AVAILABLE IN THEIR HOUSE, USED IN FOOD PREPARATION RECIPES. EVEN IN SAUDI ARABIA IT IS IMPORTED FROM TURKEY AND SOLD IN SHOPS ALTHOUGH FOR REASONS BEST KNOWN TO THEM PAKISTANI TRAVELLERS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO CARRY IT. ONCE EXPORT IS ALLOWED THE MATTER CAN BE TAKEN UP WITH SAUDI ARABIA.”

He added ” WHITE POPPY SEEDS called KHASHKHAS is used in cuisine for thickness, texture and flavor to recipes. Commonly used in the preparation of korma, ground poppy seeds, along with coconut and other spices, are combined into a paste added during cooking. Whihte Food Grade Poppy seeds are widely used in many regional cuisines. Poppy seeds, along with tulsi (basil) seeds, are added to beverages such as thandai, sharbat, milkshakes, rose milk, almond milk and khus khus milk.”

UNISAME council has taken up the matter with the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Industries & Production and is confident that better sense will prevail and White Poppy Seeds which is a food grade item used in food preparations will be recognized as such and the stigma of it being a drug will be removed.

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