ISLAMABAD: Exporters on Thursday asked the federal government to allow a subsidised power tariff of Rs19.99 and an uninterrupted gas supply to rice mills to arrest the declining trend in export.
Pakistan’s rice exports dipped by 9.33 per cent to $749.40 million in July-November this year from $826.50m in the corresponding months of last year.
During a meeting with Commerce Secretary Muhammad Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) President Chela Ram Kewlani warned that the export proceeds would fall below last year’s $2.5 billion if measures were not taken immediately.
He said that rice exports had the potential to reach $5bn in a couple of years if the sector gets the government’s facilitation.
Mr Kewlani said that Finance Minister Ishaq Dar’s claims of supporting exports remain on paper for sectors like rice.
He alleged that the minister only facilitates big industries and has no soft corner for the rice sector.
“We are not demanding subsidy for exports,” he said, adding finance minister or commerce minister has no time to listen to the problems of Pakistan’s second biggest commodity export sector.
Mr Kewlani said various issues including the declaration of industry status for the rice sector, subsidised tariff rates for rice mills and other matters related to rice export trade were discussed with the commerce secretary.
He deplored that Rs12bn under the Export Development Fund (EDF) was stuck with the government.
“We demand the government to spend this amount on the rice growers to improve seeds and cultivation to increase yield,” he said.
Addressing a press conference at National Press Club after the meeting, Mr Kewlani said containers were piling up at ports as businessmen were unable to open letters of credit due to shortage of dollars.
“The national economy is paying the price of persistent political instability,” he deplored.
Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2022
