Expressing concern over the performance of Pakistan Horticulture Development & Export Board (PHDEB), a 10-time export trophy winner, Saadat Ejaz Qureshi has asked the government to intervene immediately in the Board's affairs for promotion of fruit and horticulture exports.
While talking to newsmen here on Thursday, Qureshi said the Board was yet to come up with its due role that was being expected since its creation. He was of the view that Board had to formulate policies for promoting export of horticulture by establishing export-processing zones in the provinces.
He said the exporters were disappointed by the Board that was why they had forced him to ask for intervention of the Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan for putting the Board back on its track. Exporters in this regard have written a letter to the Commerce Minister and a meeting in that regard was likely to be held on August 18, 2005.
He said the production of fruits and vegetables would be enhanced from 4.950 million tons and 6.480 million tons in 2004-05 to 6.441 million tons and 9.521 million tons, respectively in 2009-10.
He said PHDEB had been established with a view to enhance horticultural exports besides helping in formulation and implementation of national horticulture policy.
Focussing the existing markets, Saadat alleged that PHDEB did not make any progressive planning in marketing line as that had not generated any marketing strategy. 'In fact, PHDEB could not evolve any marketing vision as yet,' he said. He said many exporters were annoyed with PHDEB and were not attending exporters' weekly meetings. He alleged that more than half of the Board members were associated with those businesses which had no link with horticulture exports.
Answering a query, he said two shipments of mangoes were being processed at Karachi for shipment to China. He added that they had to face a difficulty as the dipping process was being undertaken in South (Karachi) and it would have route back to northern area to land in China.