MOSCOW: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) would lead a delegation of 12 exhibitors of Pakistani agri-products to Moscow next month in which Pakistan would pursue the case of Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Russia vigorously to achieve easy access in the Russian market.
A meeting in this regard was held here on Thursday to discuss the vast opportunities, which surfaced in the wake of imposition of Russian sanctions on food products from Europe. The meeting evolved a strategy to enhance the country’s export of agri-products to Russia. Federal Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan and Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Bosan co-chaired the meeting.
The commerce minister apprised the meeting about efforts being made by the government to seek trade agreement with the Customs Union-Eurasian Economic Union- which includes Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has visited Russia and Belarus to strengthen trade and economic ties and next week he is scheduled to visit Kazakhstan, which will support Pakistan’s case of trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.
The meeting decided to invite Russian Quarantine officials to visit Pakistan and register meat processing units so that certified meat from these registered plants may be exported to Russia without any further checks. The exporters sought government’s support in reducing air freight charges – which costs them Rs 180 per kg – and in operating special flights with cold storage facilities directly from Pakistan to Russia to facilitate the export of perishable items.
Pakistani citrus, rice, potato and mango will be exported in the Russian market. It was decided that the government will make special arrangements tofacilitate the export of fresh and frozen meat and poultry, vegetables which include carrot, cauliflower, cabbage and beet-root and fruits, which include dates, dry fruits, apple and plum.
The government will provide support in arranging trade fairs across Russia, seeking quality certification of Pakistani agri-products and brand development. The meeting was attended by Commerce Secretary Muhammad Shahzad Arbab, National Food Security Secretary Seerat Asghar, TDAP Chief Executive SM Munir, Department of Plant Protection Director General Dr Mubarak Ali and representatives of fruits, vegetable and meat exporters’ associations.
