The small & medium-sized rice exporters have invited the attention of Tariq Ikram, chairman Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) to the urgent need of detaching the Quality Review Committee (QRC) from the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap).
Zulfikar Thaver, president Union of Small & Medium Enterprises (Unisame), in a press release, has pointed out that it is very essential in the prevailing circumstances that the QRC is made independent, neutral and without any interference from the Reap committee members as it is giving rise to conflict of interest.
He said: "The management of QRC by the Reap is causing discomfort and dissatisfaction to the SME rice exporters and the only solution is that EPB should manage QRC and also immediately take over the funds collected on account of Pre-shipment Inspection (PSI) fees as there is a liability of taxes, which have not been paid."
He added that the EPB should not patronise the compulsory membership of Reap, which is unconstitutional and especially when the EPB recommended to do away with export-import registration also then where is the need of compulsory membership of a trade association.
"All exporters are members of the Chamber of Commerce & Industry of their cities and membership of the respective chambers should suffice,"
he said, adding, "Reap has doubled its membership fees making it unaffordable to the SME exporters and new entrants, who have small orders for less than container load and payment of fees of Rs 8000 is too much and needs to be revised."
Unisame has suggested that PSI is the prerogative of the buyer and it is not the business of the government, however if the government is insisting on PSI then it should be by a neutral body or any registered PSI company. Thirdly Unisame has suggested the Green Channel for exporters exporting more than Rs 10 million per annum.
The Ministry of Commerce (MoC) has sent a reference to the EPB and it is believed that the EPB is also of the opinion that there should be no compulsory membership and secondly QRC should be managed by the EPB itself.-PR