ISLAMABAD, Aug 18: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan on Thursday asked the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board (PHDEB) for making an annual policy for identifying new markets for export of fruits and vegetables. Presiding over a meeting to review the performance of the PHDEB during the last three years, the minister said the board should come out with a comprehensive annual strategy for increasing country’s export of non-traditional fruits and vegetables.

The meeting was attended by PHDEB chairman Afaq Tawana, acting commerce secretary Syed Asif Shah and other senior officials of the commerce ministry. Afaq Tawana told Dawn that during the meeting it was decided that the policy would by worked out in consultation with the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). He said the PHDEB voiced concern over a rise in customs duty by the Indonesian government from five per cent to 25 per cent on the import of kinnoo from Pakistan.

Mr Tawana said that with the increase in customs duty, export of kinnoo had virtually halted and under the present circumstances it was not feasible to export Kinnoo to Indonesia and compete with China.

He said the commerce minister had agreed with the board opinion to consider the kinnoo under the Early Harvest Programme — zero rate of duty — with Indonesia. The minister had also issued directive to the officials concerned in this regard, he added.

Mr Tawana said the imposition of 25 per cent customs duty on the import of Kinnoo from Pakistan was a serious blow to the exporters, as it constituted 40 per cent of total exports of Kinnoo from Pakistan. These trade barriers, duties and tariffs were detrimental to the bilateral trade, he added.

The chairman said the PHDEB was also working on identifying new routes for the export of vegetables and fruits, particularly kinnoo, to China. In this regard freight forwarder companies would be consulted, he added.

The PHDEB proposed to the commerce ministry to work out some standards for exportable fruits and vegetables for meeting international requirements. On this, the minister said that the board should come up with a case study.