20000203

PNSC refrigerated

service needed

to oust India from

BD fruit, veg market

RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Fruits exporters believe that India can be ousted from the Bangladesh fruit and vegetable market provided the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) operates a direct refrigerated service to Chittagong.

This view was expressed by Mahmood Rabbani, chairman, exports sub committee of the All Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Exporters Association, on his return from Dhaka after attending the Kinoo Show sponsored by the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).

In a report to the EPB about the shown he said that Pakistani kinoos were of far superior quality compared with the Indian fruits but export from Pakistan was too costly due to the absence of a direct refrigerated shipping service to Bangladesh.

Rabbani suggested that until a direct national shipping service was started the government should provide at least 50 percent freight subsidy if it wanted to export large quantities of kinoo and surplus stocks of onion to Bangladesh.

Pakistan enjoyed tremendous goodwill in Bangladesh and its products were better in quality but were costlier due to high transportation expenses. India was taking full advantage of its geographical proximity and offering fruits and vegetables to that country on prices cheaper than Pakistani stuff.

He lauded the role of Pakistan's High Commissioner, Iqbal Ahmed Khan, and his commercial secretary in assisting Pakistani visiting exporters and arranging their meeting with Bangladeshi importers.