ISLAMABAD: The government on Wednesday allowed import of tomatoes from Iran for a period of one month to arrest the skyrocketing prices of the vegetable in domestic market, reported Dawn.
The decision was taken at a meeting of importers with top officials of the Ministry of National Food Security (MNFS), Ministry of Commerce and other stakeholders.
“Yes, we have decided to allow import of tomatoes from Iran,” MNFS Federal Secretary Muhammad Hashim Popalzai told Dawn after the meeting.
As per the decision, importers will be allowed to procure tomatoes from Iran for a period of three to four weeks for selling in the domestic market. Although, the government did not specify the exact quota for the procurement, it has set a deadline of Dec 13 for the imports.
The government believes that new crop of tomatoes and onion will reach the market in the next two to three weeks from Sindh. In the meanwhile, imports from Iran will help fill the gap to some extent, claimed the report.
The tomatoes are expected to reach Pakistan in the next four days.
On the other hand, the government has not waived off the 5.5 percent withholding tax on import of tomatoes. The impact of this tax is estimated at approximately Rs2 per kg. However, tomato imports are not subject to customs or sales tax.
According to the report, the tomato price shot up owing to a combination of ill-timed government policies and bad weather, which caused disruption in supply of tomatoes — a kitchen staple — across the country since October. Moreover, tomato prices across the region have shot up due to heavy rains last month.
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries President Daroo Khan Achakzai, while speaking to Dawn, welcomed the government’s decision to allow import of tomatoes from Iran. This, he said, will help curtail rising price of the pulp in the domestic market.
He also urged the government to accept Afghan quarantine certificate for clearance of vegetables from Afghanistan at Chaman and Torkham border stations.
