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UNISAME TELLS RAZZAK DAWOOD TO ADD NEW ITEMS TO EXPORT LIST
Dec 20, 2021 |
Zulfikar Thaver
The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) said ever since adviser on commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood has initiated and declared an agenda for creating export culture they are motivating the sector to export more and more.
UNISAME president Zulfikar Thaver said being inspired by plan of adviser on commerce , we are requesting the SME exporters to export more and more and use all available methods and strategy to enter new markets with traditional and non traditional goods.
Thaver in a message to Razzak Dawood requested him to consider allowing export of the banned items like Khashkhash, Gurr and Bhang as this will enhance our exports.
SME exporters have assured the ministry of commerce of playing an important role in motivating the sector to export more and more in support of the adviser’s bright and brilliant idea of creating export culture. Masood Khan said when Turkey and China are exporting Khashkhash and Gurr why we are not allowed to export and earn valuable much needed foreign exchange.
To really create an export culture we have to work aggressively on many items and more specially our geographical indications items which are popular world wide for their speciality and exclusiveness said Hussain Ali Ratnani Director HMI Company an SME export facilitator.
The SME exporters said they need support to make this happen and requested for allowing exports of banned items like Khashkhash Gurr and Bhang.
Many of our SME farmers, producers, processors and exporters are engaged in the production of Khashkhash (White Food Grade Poppy Seeds) and also Jaggery (GURR) and our exporters are getting enquiries for the export of Khashkhash and also Gurr but are unable to export due to the ban on exports.
They are also losing business because importers place orders with an exporter for several items collectively in one container and when our exporters refuse orders for Khashkhash or Gurr or both they cancel the entire order as it is not convenient for them to buy just one item of Khashkhash and /or Gurr from another exporter, so the entire order gets canceled.
UNISAME chief said the Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA ) has approved, issued and released standards under the Pakistan Standard for White Food Grade Poppy Seeds(Khashkhash ) and Jaggery (Gurr ) and has declared Khashkhash as food and food ingredient and removed the stigma once and for all. Gurr has been declared as a sweetener and the standard has been approved accordingly.
Khashkhash is used in most households as a culinary item in food preparations and it is also available in all grocery shops and supermarkets in Pakistan and worldwide.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia does not allow Pakistani passengers to carry it but it imports from Turkey and is sold in food markets and shops in Saudi Arabia.
The PSQCA has clarified that White Food Grade Poppy Seeds are different from opium which is used for different purposes.
Turkey is exporting to global buyers and so are some other countries and it is unfortunate that Pakistan has not allowed the export.
The export of Khashkhash and also Gurr will become a source of income for many SME farmers. processors and exporters said Zeeshan Nazim convener of Food, Herbs and Culinary committee. He added that our Khashkhash and Gurr are of international standards and there is big demand in many countries and Pakistan can export both these commodities to global markets successfully
and we should not lose this opportunity.
Bhang is also being considered by the PSQCA under the heading of medicinal purposes and industrial raw material.
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