Unisame felicitates govt on trade policy formation
KARACHI: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (Unisame) has felicitated the...
KARACHI: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (Unisame) has sought clarification from the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to enable export of white food grade poppy, a statement said on Thursday.
Unisame president Zulfikhar Thaver invited the attention of the FBR to the Export Policy Order of September, 2020 wherein export of imported poppy seeds is allowed from the countries where opium poppy is grown licitly in accordance with the provisions of the single convention,
Thaver said that the Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has adopted standard for white food grade poppy seeds under its Pakistan Standard number PS 5501 and has approved, released and issued the standard declaring it as food.
These poppy seeds are distinctively different and adopted as food, while it is declared a food ingredient and a culinary item under the PSQCA, adding that the concerned institutions must therefore accept the fact and understand that the stigma has been removed once and for all.
Thaver reiterated that the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) has also recommended export of Khashkhash based on the standard adopted by PSQCA for the benefit of the Small and Medium Enterprises farmers, processors and exporters.
The FBR is urged to comprehend the fact that it is a food commodity and not to hinder or create any impediment for the seeds called Khashkhash, whether imported, exported or exported from Pakistan or in transit from Pakistan to overseas importers as it does not fall under the definition of opium.
The Unisame Council urged the Board to coordinate with the ministry of commerce and facilitate the export of khashkhash as it is accepted, adopted and consumed as a food item all over the world.
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