In addition, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) after considering the summary of imposition of restriction on the export of onion and red chilies submitted by ministry of national food security and research has also approved a ban on the export of said commodities with immediate effect till May 31, 2020.

Resultantly, a large number of onion export shipments were stuck at ports, putting trade in an uncertain situation. Therefore, the Pakistan Customs in order to facilitate the trade has now allowed the export of onion shipments for which GDs were filed before February 29, 2020.

Meanwhile, Khawaja Zeeshan Iqbal, information secretary of Karachi Customs Agents Association (KCAA), also confirmed the said development, saying that Pakistan Customs has decided to release the export of onion shipments for which GDs were filed before February 29 and added that no shipment of onion export would be allowed for which GDs were filed after the date (February 29, 2020) when onion export ban was imposed till May 31, 2020.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020