PESHAWAR: Federal Government assured Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) on Monday to get their issues resolved on priority regarding the export of perishable commodities.
During a meeting of the special committee of the National Assembly on agricultural products, PFVA has been given a month to compile and submit recommendations to the committee, said a press release issued here.
These recommendations would then be reviewed by the committee during its next session and the concerned Ministries would be issued necessary directives to ensure resolution of the issues from that day onwards.
The meeting was attended by PFVA Patron-in-Chief Waheed Ahmed, Malik Muhammad Ahsan Tiwana and representatives of various ministries & departments.
The committee was briefed by Ahmed about the issues highlighted in the Horticulture Vision 2030 a roadmap, developed by the PFVA through extensive consultation with all the stakeholders.
Association in collaboration with the FPCCI took the initiative to address issues of the horticulture sector and developed a realistic road map “Horticulture Vision -2030 ” (HV-2030) through extensive consultation with all concerned stakeholders, in-depth analysis & research work.
The objective of this vision is to enhance yield per acre and improve the quality of the agri-products by adopting modern methods of harvesting so it can further strengthen the agriculture economy and ensure the food security of Pakistan.
Ahmed assured the committee that if the recommendations to resolve issues of the sector highlighted in the HV-2030 are implemented in letter and spirit, the export of fruits and vegetables can be enhanced to US$2 billion in three years and US$6bn in 10 years.
“Due to the deadly global pandemic Coronavirus, the cost of sea freight has multiplied many folds imposing a serious barrier in the enhancement of exports, however the chances to avail the opportunity of TIR (International Transit Trade by road) by Pakistan are bright and by using this facility our country can export agri-products with minimum cost & time to important international markets but to achieve that, the sector needs trailers and reefer containers,” Ahmed explained.
“It is need of the hour that the latest techniques of harvesting fruits & vegetables and export business be included in our current curriculum of agriculture for the development of the horticulture sector,” he proposed.
The members of the committee unanimously agreed that to enhance agri-exports, it was imperative to expeditiously resolve structural, operational & policy-related issues on a priority basis.
The committee urged that for streamlining the agriculture sector on modern lines, well-co-ordinated efforts among the research-based institutions, concerned ministries of GoP and private sector can produce wonderful results in the uplift of this promising sector.
