KARACHI: Dr. Waseem Ahmed, Food Security Commissioner in Department of Plant Protection (DPP) has said that they are making all efforts to facilitate our exporters to reduce our trade gap.
He addressing the members of All Pakistan Customs Agents Association at Federation House Cifton at Karachi. He said, 80 percent of Plant viruses, diseases are found in our Import consignments, we are on the front line security to inspect the food items to save our peoples health.
He informed the participants that 5 export consignments of Pakistani exporters are intercepted in Europe caused heavy fine according to International policies and UK Government imposed the hot water treatment on our mango consignments after this incident.
APCAA Supreme Council Chairman, Mohammad Arshad Jamal demanded for reforms in Plant Protection Department (DPP) to save the dual time and cost of doing business of traders. He said, Director General’s seat is still vacant for many years. Besides, there is acute shortage of trained human resources and most common practice is delayed in issuing import permits, having complaints of speed money is also seen.
FPCCI Vice President Waheed Ahmed said, our agricultural contribution in GDP is 19.6 percent but we are lacking in resources. He thanked the officials of DPP and APCCA who attended this event.
The other dignitaries attended this consultative meeting are SVP, FPCCI, Tariq Haleem, Shabnum Zafar, Sohail Shahzad, Qamar Alam, Nayer H. Zaidi and APCAA Chairman Qamar Alam and Director Technical Sohail Shahzad.