KARACHI, Sept 1: Wheat products in a huge quantity are lying at the port for want of loading as it was stopped abruptly following a government decision to ban wheat exports.

According to trade sources, around 35 to 40 containers, each laden with around 23 to 25 tons of wheat products, were denied shipment by the customs following the government decision on Aug 29.

However, sources said almost all containers detained by the customs were earlier cleared by them and were only awaiting shipping schedule.

The ECC had on Aug 29 imposed a ban on wheat products and a circular was issued on Aug 30. However, exporters claim that these containers were cleared by the customs on Aug 27, and they had even paid wharfage. The ECC decision, therefore, could not be applied on these containers.

It is being estimated that there would be a huge loss to exporters if the government did not adopt a realistic approach.

Exporters have approached the ministry of food and the FBR to intervene and save them from losses.

They said that the sudden ban on export of wheat flour had already made an adverse effect on country’s reputation and made them an undependable supplier of value-added wheat products.

Even on withdrawing these containers, exporters will have to incur huge losses and on an average around Rs25,000 would be spent.

Above all, a huge cost (around $300 per ton) had already been incurred in the process of value-addition. This would mean that exporters would lose more than $7,000 per container in case the government does not adopt a pragmatic approach to allow all these containers for loading as they were cleared by the customs much before the ECC’s decision to ban wheat exports, they added.