Pakistan is likely to take retaliatory action against Kenya for stopping hundreds of Irri-6 containers at the port, seemingly to protect its rice growers. Well-informed sources told Business Recorder that the Commerce Ministry is consulting Pakistani High Commissioner in Kenya and Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) to finalise a strategy against Kenya.
"The GoP has approached Kenyan authorities for clearance of rice containers at the port," confirmed a senior official of the Commerce Ministry. Kenyan port authorities are holding hundreds of containers stuffed with coarse varieties of rice and asked the exporters to get clearance from the concerned quarters of the Kenyan government.
Reports reaching here suggest that rice exporters have been asked to get the shipment tested in a lab after which containers will be cleared. One of the rice exporters told this scribe that it is not a big issue, as exporters will bribe the concerned authorities to get the containers cleared. In 2005, Kenya had stopped 200 containers at the port after enhancing duty on Pakistani rice. However, the matter was resolved amicably.
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