Beekeepers, particularly exporters, urged the government and relevant authorities to take pragmatic steps to remove hurdles in honey export, bringing it up to global standard and eradication of export of sub-standard and adulterated honey.
These remarks were made by beekeepers, exporters during an awareness session on ‘Certification Program, launched by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, which was held in collaboration with Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Standing Committee on Honey here at the chamber’s house on Thursday.
The session was presided over by Chairman, SCCI’s Standing Committee on Honey, Naeem Qasmi while secretary general of the chamber Sajjad Aziz also delivered a speech as key-note speaker on the occasion.
Besides, the SCCI’s committee senior vice chairman, Nowroz Khan, vice chairmen Basit Ali Khan, Sheikh Gul Badshah, Zahoor ul Haq, along with Project Manager Certification, MoST Islamabad, Shaheen Raja, Director Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) Peshawar, Jehangir Shah, SRO/Deputy Director Honey Production ARI Tarnab Farm Peshawar Muhammad Younas, a large number office bearers of beekeepers association, honey exporters were present during the awareness session.
Shaheen Raja on the occasion through his multi-media presentation briefed the participants about the importance of ‘Certification Program of MOST, Government of Pakistan. He stressed the need for certification of Pakistan’s honey and other food products for bringing them to up to mark and international standards.
The senior official asked the traders and exporters attached with the honey sector to take full benefits from the certification program and improve the quality of their honey. He said the certification program would ensure quality assurance and production as well as eliminate sub-standard/adulterated honey production and its sale and buying, exports.
Earlier, the traders and exporters highlighted the issues that were hampering honey exports, especially they mentioned that new rules/policies announced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were causing a decline in honey export, owing to which, they had faced huge financial loss in the previous season.
The exporters also complained about export of substandard/adulterated honey and facing issues in issuance of visas and lack of sufficient testing labs along with other attached problems. They urged the SCCI and MOST to take up their issues with relevant authorities and play their due role in their amicable resolution.
Participants of the session also urged the PCSIR and TDAP to take proactive initiatives to enhance exports and remove sale and purchase, manufacturing of adulterated honey, saying that policy would not only help to improve export to Middle East, Central Asian countries but would also accelerate export of European states.
They urged the federal government to take up the issue of new rules/policies with the Saudi Government and authorities concerned to resolve their problems that were hindering export to the KSA.
Participants thanked the SCCI, MOST and PCSIR for arranging this informative session and urged honey exporters should be resolved on priority grounds. They also demanded the holding of more awareness sessions about the MOST ‘certification’ program.
