KARACHI: The All Pakistan Salt Association (APSA) has urged the government to revert the sales tax imposed in this budget on the mined salt at the excavation stage and facilitate the sector to explore a billion-dollar exports opportunity.
The APSA request was made during a meeting convened by Advisor to Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood to discuss issues related to the salt industry and export enhancement plans.
APSA president during his presentation said that Pakistan had the second-largest reserve of salts in the world, but the exports from Pakistan were negligible.
He was of the view that due to primitive methods of mining the wastage percentage was very high, saying that the chemical industry related to salt could not grow due to negligence.
Furthermore, he said that billion-dollar exports could be achieved from the salt export to the chemical industry worldwide if the government supported the sector.
He further said they were also launching a huge project in Gwadar for making sun salt for industrial usage, and the project size was around US$750 million and would be completed in phases.
“After the completion of the first phase, which will be completed in two years, salt exports are expected to increase by around US$400-500 million only from that project.”
Another APSA member shared his proposed project of soda ash in Khushab.
He said that the project would increase salt exports with sizable local employment if the project was initiated successfully.
The APSA requested the advisor to PM to revert the sales tax imposed in this budget on mined salt at the excavation stage.
Later, the advisor to PM agreed to take up the sales tax issue with relevant authorities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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