SIALKOT: Chairman Pakistan Leather Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PLGMEA) Hassan Ali Bhatti has expressed grave concern over issuance of the SRO-1067 dated 20.10.2017 2017 through which Animal Quarantine Department of Ministry of National Food Security and Research has imposed quarantine requirements for the majority of food items and raw hide &skin to be consumed in Pakistan.
In a statement Chairman PLGMEA strongly opposed this restriction. He said that it was very surprising the restriction of Quarantine has also been imposed on basic Raw Materials for the Leather Industry of Pakistan such as Raw Hides & Skins, Wet Blue of Goat/Sheep/Lamp, Cow & Buffalo Skins, which were obviously not Food Stuffs.
He urged the Ministry of Commerce (MoC)to remove condition of ‘’Quarantine’’ for the import of basic raw materials for the industry.
He added that the said SRO was to get all the food items checked at the import stage for the safety and health concerns of the general public, but the raw materials for Leather Industry were also included in it.
“It has now become a big problem for the Leather Industry which imports a large quantity of this basic raw material for necessary value addition for re-export and earns valuable foreign exchange for the country”, he added.
Chairman PLGMEA Hassan Ali Bhatti stated that basic raw materials for the Leather Industry to be re-exported after necessary value addition with further due tanning process to yield the sizeable foreign exchange for the country and such proposed Quarantine made vide said SRO would certainly lead the cause for the delay of clearance at Ports in Pakistan resultantly to impose the un-necessary demurrage, which would ultimately accumulate in the production cost, which was already at exorbitant extent as compared to our regional competitors and our member exporters would become in competitive in international market for selling the finished leather.
He said that these precious Raw Materials for Raw Hides/Skins, Crust & Wet Blue leather were already covered with necessary ‘’Quarantine Certificate’’ at original at the time of export to Pakistan.
“It is also ‘’obligatory’’ for the importers to submit the ‘’Health/Quarantine Certificate’’ at the time of import of raw materials form destination concerned into Pakistan. Therefore, it seems unnecessary to submit the ‘’Health/Quarantine Certificate’’ again in Pakistan to avoid duplication”, he narrated.
He demanded the MoC to immediately remove ‘’Restriction of Quarantine of Animal Department ’’ from the above SRO for basic raw materials of Leather Industry to keep smooth way of clearance without the hurdle of Quarantine of our raw materials for the Industry for re-export purpose, otherwise the export of Leather Sector which was already declined may be jeopardized for further declining…#
