KARACHI, Nov 27: The Export Promotion Bureau has arranged an emergent meeting of different groups of kinoo exporters on December 3, in Islamabad with the commerce minister to review the issue of kinoo exports in wooden crates and paper cartons.

This was stated by president, Pakistan Citrus Fruits and Persimmons Processors Association (PCFPPA), Rana Mohammad Sadiq, at a press conference at Karachi Press Club on Wednesday.

He said PCFPPA members had met EPB chairman Tariq Ikram on Wednesday who had arranged a meeting with the commerce minister to discuss the issue at length and problems being faced by the kinoo exporters using paper carton.

He said the PCFPPA delegation also apprised the commerce minister of issue of kinoo shipment in wooden crates and paper cartons in Islamabad on Tuesday. The minister decided to finally resolve the issue through an urgent meeting to be held within next two to three days. However, the meeting has now been arranged on December 3.

He said it was a policy decision of the EPB taken on April 24, 2002, to disallow export of kinoo in wooden crates. “On the basis of this, our members had invested Rs200 million to procure cartons from Dubai, Brazil, Germany and Holland at the rate of Rs36-37 per carton as compared to Rs17-20 per wooden crate,” he added.

“Exporters using carton will suffer major losses following the government’s decision of allowing the export of kinoo in wooden crates from November 22,” he said and added the EPB should have rescinded its April 24 policy order two months before the start of kinoo season when purchase of carton had not been made.

“In case our problems are not resolved — we would consider going on strike. If the commerce ministry does not do justice then we reserve the right to seek compensation for damages in the court of law,” Rana said.

The PCFPPA chief said kinoo exporters using cartons were highly optimistic about increase of export by 100 per cent from the last fiscal’s export of $21 million, but unfortunately everything was going against it. He claimed that out of $21 million exports — $17 million worth of kinoo were shipped in paper carton in the last fiscal.

He said export of kinoo in cartons could not be made at the same time when export in wooden crates is also allowed because kinoo packed in crates is 10-15 per cent cheaper. Hence orders obtained by the exporters using cartons are being cancelled as a result of re-allowing export in wooden crates.