ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister's Advisor on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood Friday said the government has fixed sugarcane price at Rs 200 per 40kg for crushing season 2020-21.
The Punjab government had fixed Rs 190 per 40 kg for 2019-20, whereas in Sindh it was Rs 192 per 40 kg.
Expressing his views at a meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Commerce, presided over by Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi, he said the government has already approved a law for the sugar mills with respect to crushing, adding that mills have to start crushing after receiving notice from the concerned Cane Commissioner.
He also warned that a fine would be slapped on sugar mills that do not start crushing in accordance with the government policy.
Senator Islam-ud-Din Sheikh, a sugar mill owner, hailing from Sindh, said that sugarcane crop in Sindh was ready and the government has fixed Rs 192 per maund.
Commenting on import of sugar by the government, he said that sugar was being imported at a time when sugarcane crop was ready in Sindh, adding that with import growers would suffer.
The Prime Minister's Advisor responded that 0.3 million tons of sugar was being imported for strategic reserves.
The committee also discussed import and smuggling of food items from neighbouring countries which were hurting the interests of Balochistan's farmers.
Chairman Standing Committee asserted that the committee has time and again urged the government to set up quarantine centre at the border to check quality of food items but no progress was made in this regard. He asked Commerce Ministry to look into this issue.
Chairman Intellectual Property Organization (IPO), Mujeeb Ahmad Khan briefed the committee on dispute with India on tagging of Basmati rice in the European Union (EU).
Khan informed the committee that India claims that Basmati rice was being produced only in India which was not correct.
At a recent meeting in Commerce Ministry, it was decided that Pakistan would contest India in EU with full vigor as Indian claim was far from reality.
Abdul Razak Dawood, however, stated that Pakistan always takes measures after the "attack" adding that India had framed geographical indication tagging law early and registered Basmati domestically under its own GI law.
Dawood said as Pakistan did not have its own GI law, who would the government have approached for registration of Basmati rice? Now the GI law is enacted he said 78 local products have been registered. The committee was informed that Pakistan has till December 10, 2020 to serve notice to EU on India's claim. However, Pakistan will serve notice to EU by December 5, 2020. The committee was further informed that two more months would be required to submit response to Indian claims in detail.
The committee was further informed that 40 per cent of IT sector's debts risk factor would be borne by the SBP whereas private banks would bear the brunt of 40 per cent.
Abdul Razak Dawood said that Pakistan exports services of $ 5 billion per annum of which the share of IT was $ 1.4 billion. He further stated that 25 per cent growth has been recorded in exports of IT.
Beside others, the meeting was attended by Senator Ahmed Khan, Senator Dilawar Khan, Senator Islam-ud-Din Shaikh, Senator Atta-ur-Rehman and Senator Meer Kabir Ahmed Muhammad Shahi.
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