April 16, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 9, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 15: The Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers’ Association (PVMA) on Tuesday urged the government to ensure smooth flow of palm oil from Karachi to the upcountry to avert any shortage of ghee in the market.

A PVMA executive body meeting, presided over by its Chairman Abdul Waheed, pointed out that hurdles were being created in transportation of edible oil from Karachi ports to the manufacturing units in the upcountry by the All Pakistan Tanker Owners Association (APTOA).

PVMA secretary Zafar Hameed Hashmi said that the APTOA was not a recognised body as far as transportation of oil from Karachi to ghee units was concerned.

The PVMA stated that at no time it had stopped loading of edible oil from Karachi ports for onward transportation to its units by its authorised and contracted transporters — the National Logistic Cell (NLC) and the edible oil carriage contractors association (EOCCA).

He said the NLC, due to its limited resources, can lift not more than 30-35 per cent of the total edible oil while the rest of the bulk was to be transported by the EOCCA.

The chairman assured that there was no shortage of vegetable ghee, nor it would happen if transportation of edible oil was not hampered by some miscreants.