ISLAMABAD: Acting President of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Tahir Ayub expressed concern over the commercial electricity tariff being applied to the cold storage sector,.
He urged that food storage is an integral component of the industrial value chain and should be treated as part of the agro-industrial infrastructure rather than a commercial service.
While talking to a delegation from the fruit, vegetable, and cold storage business community, he said that cold storage plays a critical role in value addition, food preservation, and price stabilization across the agricultural supply chain.
Many fruits and perishable commodities such as apples, citrus, mangoes, and potatoes are highly dependent on temperature-controlled storage facilities.
Applying high commercial electricity tariffs on such essential infrastructure, he said, would undermine the entire farm-to-market ecosystem, hurting both producers and consumers.
Tahir Ayub cautioned that the differential cost of electricity would substantially increase operational expenses, forcing cold storage operators to pass on the burden to traders and retailers.
This would further inflate the prices of fruits and vegetables, which are already slipping beyond the reach of ordinary citizens.
He urged the government to reclassify the cold storage sector as an industry, thereby allowing it to benefit from industrial tariffs, tax reliefs, and incentives available to manufacturing and processing units.
Such a policy, he said, would not only reduce post-harvest losses currently estimated at over 30% of total produce in Pakistan but also enhance food security, export competitiveness, and rural incomes.
Citing international best practices, the Acting President noted that countries such as India, China, and Turkiye have already integrated cold storage and logistics into their agro-industrial frameworks, offering subsidized energy rates, concessional financing, and policy support.
These measures have transformed their perishable goods sectors into major contributors to GDP and export earnings.
Pakistan, he added, must follow a similar approach to modernize its agricultural value chain and ensure food affordability and supply stability.
Tahir Ayub reaffirmed ICCI’s commitment to advocating business-friendly and evidence-based reforms that promote sustainable agriculture, industrial development, and consumer welfare.
He also called upon the government to engage stakeholders from the perishable goods, logistics, and storage sectors in policy discussions to ensure inclusive and long-term solutions.
