AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Karachi, June 22, 2016 (PPI-OT): The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged the federal commerce minister Engineer Khurram Dastagir to take steps to regain the Pakistani basmati rice share in global markets on top priority basis and save the basmati rice from this dilemma in good time.
President UNISAME Zulfikar Thaver urged the commerce minister to first get the 0 rating for the rice sector to relieve it of the burden of multiple taxes on the entire supply chain from the farm to the markets. The farm inputs have become very costly and the promised relief though insufficient has not yet become available.
Rice is the second largest after textiles and deserves government support to overcome the down slide global in commodities markets. This is the best time for support as the new crop is on the threshold. The white and parboiled rice sector both need the support to get back on their feet.
Secondly to get the Geographical Indication (GI) of basmati rice approved by the Intellectual Property Organization and simultaneously get te basmati trade mark approved by the Registrar of Trade Marks in favour of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to enable all stakeholders to use it as a national property ownership.
Thirdly to co-ordinate with the other ministries for research in seeds to develope other varieties.
Fourthly it is very important to improve the entire supply chain from the farm to the markets and all the sectors from the primary to the tertiary sectors need to be upgraded.
Other issues which are faced by the exporters are exports to third world countries as the commercial banks are not inclined to discount documents and bills drawn on buyers or their banks since mostly the banks are of low rating.
To overcome this impediment other countries have state owned export credit guarantee insurance companies which work on low premiums to facilitate and promote exports to third world countries. The bank charges have also increased making the transactions costly.
UNISAME emphasized the need for the ministry of commerce to act promptly and save the rice sector from big losses.
For more information, contact:
Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME)
75/1 3rd Commercial Street,
Phase IV, D.H.A., Karachi, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-35884225-6
Fax: +92-21-35380642
Cell: +92-300-8245307, +92-321-8245307
Email: unisame@gmail.com