09 January 2005	Sunday	27 Ziqa'ad 1425

ISLAMABAD, Jan 8: The ministry of commerce will convene a meeting of the rice exporters next week to determine measures for taking up the issue of 100 per cent increase in the import duty on rice in the East African Community (EAC).

An official source in the ministry of commerce told Dawn on Saturday that the provisional raise in customs duty from 35 per cent to 75 per cent will be implemented by January 15.

He said that after seeking the views from the relevant stakeholder, the government will take up the issue with the EAC-Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, at diplomatic level.

It is believed that the duty was raised on the rice import due to persistent pressure from the Tanzanian rice growers and millers asking for due protection against the imports.

It was hoped that EAC might consider some quota at reduced import duty for the major rice importer countries particularly Pakistan after the determination of the local production of rice.

Pakistan rice export to Kenya stood at $28 million, $1.707 million to Tanzania and $2.838 million to Uganda.

The official feared that in case the duty was not reduced, Pakistan might not be able to reach annul target of an average $35 million rice export to these three African countries.