ISLAMABAD, Nov 29: Pakistan has asked Indonesia for initiation of talks on early harvest programme (EHP) — zero rate of duty — to increase trade between the two countries.

A commerce ministry official told Dawn on Tuesday that a formal request to this effect was made to an Indonesian minister who recently visited Pakistan along with the Indonesian president.

He said that a high-level Indonesian technical delegation would soon visit Pakistan to discuss items for the inclusion in the EHP’s list.

Pakistan was seeking the inclusion of kinoo in the list of EHP at priority, which currently attracted around 5-25 per cent duty on clearance at the import stage at Indonesian ports. This high duty has made Pakistani kinoo less competitive, particularly with those coming from China, the official added.