Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana recommended forming a special committee to resolve the difficulties being faced by the rice exporters in carrying out their businesses and enhancing exports. "A special advisory committee comprising representatives of the federal, provincial and local governments should be formed to resolve issues like taxes, fees and others," he assured Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) members at a reception here the other day.
He also said the government should accept the demand of rice exporters to declare it as an Industry as it is fetching over $2.5 billion and potential is to do more. It is also contributing Rs 16 billion in terms of direct and indirect taxes. He assured that he would also play his role in this regard. The governor said the government functionaries would be asked to devise revenue policies in consultation with the stakeholders.
REAP chairman Samiullah Naeem informed the governor that after 18th amendment their problems have been multiplied as now they need to coordinate with provincial and federal governments both. He pointed out that in rice producing districts, Sheikhupura and Gujranwala, local government authorities have also started harassing them by recovering fees from their offices imposed on industries while the rice sector doesn't enjoy the industry status.
Samiullah said that agriculture after 18th amendment is a provincial subject while exports are federal. He regretted that there is a big disconnect between the two causing serious harm to rice exports. He suggested for formation of a joint platform having all the stakeholders and claimed that best step in this regard would be declaring this sector as an Industry.
"It will bring all the farmers, millers and exporters under the Federal Ministry of Industries where these stakeholders could come up with some solid proposal to resolve the issues faced by the rice exports," he added. SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry's vice president Iftikhar Malik in his address lamented on the quality of research and development in the government sector in agriculture sector.
He was of the view that the research activities should be expedited to produce high yielding rice varieties to increase production to enable more exports from the country. He said that the focus should also be given to produce new varieties having resistance against different diseases and can meet the challenges of climate change. Appreciating REAP efforts to enhance rice exports, he said that the Association was going in right direction and the government should patronize it at every level.
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