ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: The government on Tuesday notified functions and powers of the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board (PHDEB) aiming to enhance export of horticulture products.

According to a Ministry of Commerce notification, the PHDEB would help in the formulation and implementation of the National Horticulture Policy.

The board, to be an autonomous body, would also develop and implement horticulture export marketing strategies, which would result in higher value for Pakistan’s exports.

The promotion of technological up-gradation and human resource development for enhanced value added exports in all the sub-sectors of horticulture would also be the duty of the board.

The PHDEB would invite international marketing processing companies to source products from Pakistan, and also appoint marketing companies to promote Pakistan’s horticulture produce.

The board would have to develop procedures and regulations to create an environment conducive for exports; represent the sector on international fora; facilitate and set up necessary infrastructure for horticulture development, including cold chain all over the country, and to promote export of processed horticulture products.

It would also develop linkage with research and development institutions of the country and facilitate them in improving research, production and marketing in the field of horticulture.

According to the notification, the other functions of the PHDEB would be to encourage and facilitate the growers to “grow for exports”, provision of commercial intelligence to producers and exporters; provision of facilities for settlement of disputes relating to and arising from trade transactions and to arrange and attend trade exhibitions/ trade delegations/ fairs within the country or abroad.

The board would also arrange and provide export and import services, also provisions of expertise in horticulture trade; undertake study of international markets to facilitate trade and to under take publicity campaigns nationally and internationally.

The financing of the board will be from the export development surcharge (EDS) collections on horticulture exports and the ultimate objective being cost-sharing leading eventually to financial self-sustainability.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday appointed 15 members of the PHDEB.

According to a notification issued by the ministry on Tuesday, Afaq Tiwana was appointed as first chairman of the board.

The government has recently announced the constitution of the PHDEB for the improvement of horticulture and export of fruits, vegetables and floriculture from Pakistan.

The members appointed included: Joint secretary (E/G), Ministry of Commerce; director horticulture, Pakistan Agriculture Research Council; director general, Plant Protection Department, MINFAL, Karachi; chairman, All Pakistan Fruits and Vegetables Exporters, Importers Merchants Association, Karachi; chairman, Task Force Punjab (Wheat Resources), Jehangir Tareen; Saadat Eijaz Qureshi, Roshan Enterprises, Karachi; Kamal-Uddin Ahmed, Razi Trading Corporation, Quetta; Ikram Ullah Khan, fruit grower and member of the advisory committee of federal agriculture minister; Masoom Akhtar, managing director, Sarah Fruit Trading Co (Pvt) Ltd, Karachi; Ms Faryal Zaman; Mohammad Sadiqeen, chief executive officer, Questpack Pakistan (Pvt) Limited, Karachi; Iqbal Mustafa, chief executive officer, SMEDA, Lahore; a representative of fruit processing industry to be nominated by the board; and chief executive officer, Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board.

According to the notification, the chairman of the board had been appointed for a period of two years subject to further extension of two years.