Fruits, vegetables, pulses: clear policy sought on import

The President Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry Muhammad Akram Ansari has demanded the Minister for National Food, Security and Research to formulate a clear policy for import of fruits, vegetables and pulses during off season so that the importers could not bear financial losses.
He said that due to ineffective policy, the importers received financial losses as their imports were seized at the port and later released after receiving fine from them. He said that when the Department of Plant Protection stopped issuance of import license in 2013, the imported goods were released after imposing fine amount ranging between rupees ten to fifteen thousands, but since November this year, the importers sustained heavy financial losses due to non release of their goods from the port administration. He demanded the need of formulation of a clear policy in this regard in order to save the importers from imposition of heavy fine.