'Bright prospects exist for export of Kinnow to Indonesia'

Bright prospects exist for the export of Pakistani Kinnow to Indonesia after the signing of Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between the two countries recently. Chief Executive Officer, Harvest Trading, Ahmad Jawad told Business Recorder that trade relations between Pakistan and Indonesia have received a big boost with the signing of a preferential trade agreement and expressed the hope that the relationship would blossom into a full scale Free Trade Agreement in the future and private sector of both the countries may get excellent benefit out of it.
The agreement stipulates that Indonesia reduced tariffs to Pakistan on 216 tariff lines, one of which is fresh fruit. Pakistan, on the other hand, has extended preferential rates on 287 tariff lines of Indonesian products, such as crude palm oil and its derivatives sugar confectionery and cocoa products. He said that the level of trade between Pakistan and Indonesia was up to $1.0 billion which could be increased manifold by the combined efforts of both the countries.
"This is the reflection of the deeper economic relations between two brotherly nations. However, we have to be cognisant of the fact that this opportunity exists because Pakistan serves as a transportation hub for other neighbouring countries - Afghanistan and the rest of Central Asian countries," Jawad said. He hoped that other countries of the Far Eastern region would emulate Indonesia as Pakistani exporters have undertaken extensive marketing efforts to boost export of kinnow fruit, which is considered as major source of revenue generation for the country. Encouraging and appreciative comments from the recipients of a special consignment suggests that the fruit has bright future in terms of large exports from Pakistan once the recently signed PTA comes into force. Its distribution was aimed at popularising the delicious Pakistani fruit and receiving feedback ahead of its regular import facilitated by zero tariff provided in the PTA. Further the exercise was also meant to highlight the need to expedite the ratification of PTA. Before the ban Pakistan had exported around 2000 containers of kinnow during last years, Jawad said.