May 22, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1429

KARACHI, May 21 The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (Unisame) has invited the attention of the commerce secretary towards an agreement signed by the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) for supply of rice to Utility Stores Corporation of Pakistan (USCP) at subsidised rates by the exporters and has requested for a review of the agreement to include all rice merchants.

Unisame President Zulfikar Thaver said in a statement on Wednesday that primarily the commerce ministry found it very convenient because exports are documented and it was very easy to impose such a condition on exporters.

He, however, said that under this policy actual culprits, mainly smugglers, boarders and profiteers got off scot-free and in the process the entire burden has fallen on small and medium sized exporters.

He further said that the concept of supplying rice to state-owned USCP by the exporters is totally wrong because it was the responsibility of the government and why exporters should suffer and bear the burden, while other stakeholders are left free.

Mr Thaver said rice exporters have suffered heavily owing to volatile rice market which witnessed a rapid increase in prices caused by speculative buying from hoarders and profiteers.

Unisame chief, however, appreciated the proposal of Reap to exempt those exporters who have exported less than 100 metric tons from this mandatory supply to the USCP, but requested that it should be up to 1,000 tons per annum to exempt small exporters.