Basmati rice export to Sri Lanka: procedure for issuance of certificate of origin approved

In terms of Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Issuance and Verification of Certificate of Origin (operational procedure) Rules 2005, notified by the Ministry of Commerce, the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) has approved the procedure for issuance of Certificate of Origin for the export of Basmati rice to Sri Lanka under FTA.
In a press release issued here on Thursday EPB said that the Certificate of Origin will be issued by all offices of EPB on first-come-first-served basis on submission of copies of bill of lading, commercial invoice, irrevocable Letter of Credit or evidence of advance payment and quality certificate (original) from TCP, certifying that the consignment is PK-385 type and super Basmati only.
The shipment will be made only against irrevocable Letter of Credit in advance payment. The Certificate of Origin granted by EPB would be on Post-shipment basis only. The EPB will notify the up-to-date left-over TRQ quantity available for export on EPB website: www.epb.gov.pk on a regular basis.
Following conditions will apply to above exports on the import side by the Sri Lankan authorities, which may also be noted by the exporters; Sri Lanka will give approval for export of Basmati rice from Pakistan on "First-Come-First-Served basis" subject to a maximum ceiling of 500 tonnes for each importer during the year, importers should utilise such approvals within six months from the date of approval; unutilised quantities during the stipulated period will be allowed to be imported by interested parties on the same basis; and, Certificate of Origin issued by the EPB should be produced by the importers for duty free clearance at the Sri Lankan Customs.
Pakistan-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has become operational from June 12, 2005, under which Sri Lanka has given Tariff Rate Quota (TRQ) of 6,000 tonnes of "Long Grain Basmati Rice" to Pakistan on annual basis at zero duty.
Pakistani exporters were not able to utilise TRQ for the year 2005, to which Sri Lanka has agreed to carry forward the unutilised quantity of 3,337 tonnes of rice to 2006. As a result, total of 9,337 tonnes has become available under TRQ for export to Sri Lanka till December 2006.-PR