LAHORE: Pakistan has started importing Indian tomatoes through Wagah Customs Land Freight Unit (LFU) which will help generating more revenue, besides arresting the increasing rates of tomatoes in local market, especially Punjab.
According to the official sources, Pakistan has decided to import tomatoes from India keeping in view increased rates in local market. Before the start of Ramazan, tomatoes were available at Rs 20 per kilogram but the rates increased rapidly with the start of fasting month, as gap between demand and supply widened.
Currently, the tomatoes are sold from Rs 50 to Rs 60 in Lahore and other cities of Punjab. To overcome the demand and stabilise the rates in market, Pakistan started import of tomatoes from India.
Pakistan Customs officials told Customs Today that now from 20 to 25 trucks are crossing border on daily basis loaded with tomatoes. They also informed that numbers of trucks will hopefully increase in coming days. With the import of tomatoes from India, the Pakistan Customs will collect more revenue in wake of customs duty, sales tax, income tax, etc, they added.
Usually, Pakistan imports tomatoes from October to February every year due to shortage in local market but this year, the import has been continued in the month of June to give relief to the people in the holy month.
In 2016, import of tomatoes from India was stopped in March when plant protection department banned its import after finding some hygienic elements.
Besides, Pakistani importers have been barred from importing Indian garlic and ginger after a report of plant protection department which find these products harmful to human health as these were washed with some poisonous chemicals.
