Union of Small and Medium Enterprises invites attention of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan to the scope of Agricultural Produce Marketing Act 1939 and the revised Agricultural Produce Marketing Act 2010

Islamabad, May 03, 2013 (PPI-OT): The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has invited the attention of Abid Ahktar Javed the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to the scope of the Agricultural Produce Marketing Act 1939 and the revised Agricultural Produce Marketing Act 2010 and urged him to examine the law and seek clarifications and impress upon the provincial governments to remove the ambiguities in the statutes in order to relieve the exporters from undue pressures of the officials who are demanding cess on agricultural produce from exporters

President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver said it is unfortunate that the provinces are following the old colonial law of 1939 without applying their minds to its merits and demerits. The 1939 act deserves to be abolished and the 2010 be implemented with amendments to facilitate the growers and protect their interest which is the key function of the Marketing Committees Act.

He said to the best of his knowledge and belief the exporters of agricultural produce do not come under the ambit of the act and are beyond its purview as it is restricted to wholesalers and yet the officials are time and again sending notices and show cause to the exporters. It is pertinent to note that the exporters are selling their goods in overseas markets and do not come under the definition of wholesalers. They are selling their goods to foreign importers and are not covered under the jurisdiction of the district marketing committees formed under the act.

He urged the CEO of TDAP to intervene and call an urgent meeting to determine the facts and the applicability of the law and its rules and regulations to safe guard the exporters of rice, wheat, maize, sugar, vegetables, fruits and other agricultural produce.

The union has also sought clarification from the directorates of agricultural produce of the provinces and urged the directors to resolve the issue in the best interest of the exporters and issue directives to the concerned officials not to disturb the exporters on this matter if they are not liable to pay the marketing committee cess on exports.

For more information, Contact:
Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME)
75/1 3rd Commercial Street,
Phase IV, D.H.A., Karachi, Pakistan
Phones: + 92 35884225 and 6
Cell: + 92 300 8245307 and + 92 321 8245307
Fax: + 92 35380642
Email: unisame@gmail.com