Federal Minister for Industries Jehangir Khan Tareen on Monday informed the National Assembly standing committee on food, agriculture and livestock that market practices for agri produce were not fair, as there was no policy and planning for this in this regard.
"There is no food processing chain in the country, which has enormous potential for export to the Gulf region. Pakistan has dismal agri products market share in the emerging economies, like UAE, which had multiplied manifold because of high oil prices," he said.
About export of kinnow to China, he said that Kinnow exporters have developed a chain with growers and they are marketing the product in a more efficient way. However, there was urgent need of developing mango chain among its producers, processors and exporters, he added.
Jehangir informed the committee that processors were willing to invest in processing mangoes, which has also a big potential to earn foreign exchange.
Shah Mehmood of PPP and a progressive farmer from southern Punjab also demanded of the committee to summon provincial procurement departments for failing to ensure support price of wheat.
Ishaq Khan Khakwani, State Minister for Information Technology and member of agriculture committee, suggested that without giving incentives to growers, it would be impossible to meet the demand.
About commodities markets, Federal Minister for Food Sikandar Hayat Bosan said the federal government, along with provincial governments, was working on a project costing Rs 2 billion to construct markets on the pattern of Thailand.
Secretary Minfal, Ismail Qureshi informed the committee that the country has a great potential to export mango, kinnow and dates and the government was working on it.