KARACHI, July 21: Pakistan has so far exported around 14,000 tons of potatoes and 12,000 tons of onions to India on having a good crop of both the commodities which started arriving late April. Early this year, the country had to import both the commodities from India to meet the domestic shortage. Pakistan is also expected to have a bumper tomato crop which could also be exported provided a reefer service is facilitated to carry the perishable commodity from farms to Karachi.

The government earlier this year had allowed import of all the three commodities to check the price hike created by short supply of these essential

goods. Pakistan imported around 50,000 tons of potatoes and unions during the January-February period.

However, by the end of March 2005, the government had even withdrawn customs duty and withholding tax on both the commodities. But thereafter there were no more imports of onion or potato as the local crop started arriving late April, 2005.

Contrary to this, India now falls short of these commodities and prices also rise because of a big gap between demand and supply. In order to meet the shortage, India is now importing both the commodities from Pakistan.

Pakistan Commodity Importers Association (PCIA) Chairman Raees Ashraf Tarmohammad told Dawn that as a result of exports, growers were getting better price for their produce and hoped that their produce and hoped that this would result in higher production during the next crop.

Besides the local crop of pota to from Sindh and Punjab, a large quantity of Afghan potato is also available in the market. However, it is mostly available in Punjab because of big market and consumption.

Afghan potato, being better in quality, is being sold for Rs750 per 40kg. Local potato is being sold for Rs480 per 40kg, which comes to around Rs12 per kg in retail. Furthermore, the Balochistan crop is also due in August, which will further bring prices down. However, in order to ensure a fair price to the growers its exports need to be encouraged.

Similarly, onion is also being exported to India and already 12,000 tons have been exported and more contracts are on the pipeline. Due to good harvest prices in the local market have came down considerably and is being sold between Rs150 and Rs350 per 40kg depending on quality and size of the produce. Onion is being sold at around Rs9 per kg in the retail market.

After importing tomato early this year, the country is now exporting the commodity. However, being a highly perishable item, its export is on very small scale and this could damage growers’ interest who may not even get their input cost on the crop.

Mr Raees urged the government to provide the reefer service so that the commodity (tomato) could be brought to the market place (cities) from farms and exported in good condition.

The price of tomato plummeted to around Rs10 per kg in the retail market, and according to market sources, during the last two days it had further declined from Rs100 per 10 kg crate to Rs60.

Prices of pulses and lentils are also fairly stable in the domestic market despite the fact that in the world market prices have risen to $25-$45 per ton. At present lentils are being quoted at $540 to $590 per ton and chickpeas at $525to $560 per ton.

There is a growing concern amongst traders that the export of black gram may result in shortage of the produce in the month of Ramazan. They suggested that a 25 per cent export duty should be imposed on black gram immediately.