Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has announced cancellation of its delegation's planned visit to Kingdom of Saudi Arabia due to non-issuance of visa invitation letter on behalf of Pakistan's concerned commercial attaché. According to REAP, a delegation of rice exporters was scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia from March 11 to March 20, 2016 for exploring more opportunities of exporting rice.
However, the visit had to be postponed for the second time as the Pakistan's commercial attaché at Riyadh did not facilitate the delegation in getting the visa issued. Former chairman of REAP, Rahim Jano, who is currently chief patron of the association, said that Saudi Arabia is a leading buyer of parboiled rice and Pakistan has only 10 per cent share in its imports, besides rice exports from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia has been continuously declining for the last few years.
Elaborating, he said that keeping in view that Pakistan could increase rice share in Saudi Arab market with some efforts and exchange of trade delegations, the REAP in consultation with Pakistan's commercial attaché in Riyadh had decided to send its delegation to Saudi Arabia, but the latter failed in issuing visa letters to the members of delegation. The commercial attaché was now suggesting us to undertake the visit in mid-April, Janoo added. Deploring over cancellation of the REAP's delegation's visit to Saudi Arabia, he said: "We are forced to feel that certain elements are not interested in the visit of REAP delegation to SA, as the same situation was created in 2015 when we were force to cancel our delegation's visit due to non-issuance of Visa Invitation Letter," he lamented.
"It has now been decided that no REAP delegation will visit SA until the incumbent commercial consular was transferred", Jano added. He requested prime minister, federal commerce minister and the TDAP's chief executive to appoint qualified and professional commercial attaches in all important rice buying countries.
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