The federal government has given green signal to the customs authorities to immediately release the detained wheat export consignments at two ports, sources in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) told Business Recorder.
On Monday afternoon Minfal verbally informed the customs officials to release the detained consignments at two ports Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Port Qasim Authority (PQA), while official written letter was faxed yesterday evening. 'We have taken serious notice of the detention of the wheat export consignments by the customs officials," said Ismail Qureshi, secretary Minfal, when he was contacted.
He said that around 35,000 tonnes of wheat have been detained at KPT and PQA, which have however been later allowed to export. The sudden step by customs could hit the entire wheat export process, therefore, the ministry has given the permission to export it, he added.
Ismail Qureshi said that the ministry has allowed only those consignments, which have already reached ports, while if exporters want to export further quantity then they should buy wheat from Punjab or Sindh food departments or Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Supply Corporation (Passco).
The exporters have also confirmed that wheat export has resumed after one-day break, as Minfal has instructed the customs officials to allow it, which was detained on Saturday evening.
The exporters accused the customs of suddenly stopping wheat export process without informing them that 50,000 tonnes of private export target was completed. Several exporters contacted Minfal officials on Monday and informed them about situation and requested for release of detained wheat consignments.
A letter from Anis Majeed, Chairman Karachi Wholesale Grosser Association was also sent to Minfal and the ministry of commerce, in which he indicated that if wheat export process did not resume, then wheat export process would be disturbed.
He appreciated Minfal's step for allowing wheat export and said that they were expecting that the ministry would further allow wheat export from the open market, as in the current year the country has 1.5 million tonnes surplus wheat.
Wheat export consignments worth million-dollars, are at ports to dispatch to different countries including India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and some other, he said and added that these consignments now would be dispatched on Wednesday due to May 1 holiday.
He regretted that the country's image would also be tarnished if anyone does not fulfil the export orders within the specified time. "We had already signed contracts of wheat export of approximately 0.15 million tonnes with different countries, including India, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Sri Lanka," said an exporter.
"We have also received Letters of Credit (LCs) from our buyers and now we are bound to dispatch the already booked consignments," he added. Another exporter whose containers are also stuck up at the port, said, "If we do not ship the commodity, then the orders would be cancelled and we would have to pay additional charges."
"Now exporters are in serious crisis and we have no idea that the Customs would allow us further wheat export or not," he feared. On Saturday evening customs officials detained all wheat export consignments and stopped export by saying that as 50,000 tonnes wheat export target from the open market.
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