KARACHI, April 28: A large number of exporters have urged the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) to extend the date of filing of freight subsidy claims up to May 31, 2003.

The government under Trade Policy 2002-03 allowed 25 per cent freight subsidy on exports of new products to new markets.

However, the EPB notified the same on January 1, 2003, thereby omitted the first two quarters (July-Dec 2002) of the current fiscal for such claims.

On realizing the omission the EPB through a notification dated April 16, had allowed exporters to file freight subsidy claims for old cases pertaining to the July-December 2002 period, up to April 30.

Nevertheless, exporters feel that 15 days period allowed by the EPB for filing claims is too short to meet the process and complete the necessary documents required to justify the genuineness of the claims.

Trade bodies are receiving requests in large number from their member exporters to get the date extended by another one month so that genuine exporters could benefit from the scheme.

As the freight subsidy is allowed on new products and on exports to new markets the trade bodies representing these exporters mostly belong to cottage industry. However, some leading export bodies are also involved in this where a large number of exporters are claiming subsidy on exports to new markets.

The chairman, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), Abdul Rahim Janoo has suggested to the government to allow exporters to file their claims up to the close of current fiscal on June 30, 2003.

He said as the period of six months was quite long, therefore, exporters should be given sufficient time to cover up their lost time particularly when they have to dig out old records to justify their claims.

Similarly, the representative body of small and medium sized enterprise (Unisame) has also sought 30 days extension in the last date for filing of freight subsidy claims and suggested that May 31, should be fixed as a new date.

Furthermore, the Unisame is of the opinion that exporters would not be in a position to submit the fourth copy of shipping bill for filing subsidy claim as the same had already been submitted with the customs authorities for filing of rebate claims.

The convener of Unisame Zulfikar Thaver said if the date was not extended the small and medium enterprises would be the most sufferers because they mostly belong to new products.