KARACHI: The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday assured to resolve the issues being faced by the rice exporters on priority basis.
A delegation of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) led by Muhammad Anwar Mianoor, Senior Vice Chairman had a meeting with Sima Kamil, Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) on Friday at SBP Head Office, Karachi. Abdul Qayum Paracha, Ex-Chairman REAP, Safder Hussain Mehkri, Ex-Chairman REAP, Rafique Suleman, Ex-Chairman REAP, Muhammad Raza, Ex-Senior Vice Chairman REAP and Asif Ali Shaikh, MC Member REAP were also present in the meeting.
During the meeting, SVC REAP Anwar Mianoor talked about various challenges being faced by rice export sector particularly stuck up payment of $9 million at Lebanon for the rice shipment to Yemen.
He suggested formation of a high level delegation comprising representatives of Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Finance, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), State Bank of Pakistan and REAP to visit Lebanon and have meetings with top government officials to resolve this long pending issue.
He also asked the SBP to resolve export refinance related issues being faced by rice exporters. Anwar requested to share various funding SBP programmes with REAP regarding agriculture sector, so that REAP can circulate the same to rice exports.
During the meeting former chairman REAP Rafique Suleman requested for full support for mechanical farming. “We are facing huge problem of smog in Punjab province. They use wheat harvester which cannot cut rice plant from root, and they fire the remains of rice plant roots, which create huge climate pollution and smog problem,” he mentioned.
He further said that whereas rice harvesters easily cut rice plants with roots and reduces the risk of pollution. “If Rice Harvesters are brought in our system, burning of rice plant remains will be eliminated. We want government to introduce some attractive package on mechanical farming / harvesting for farmers,” Suleman said. On the occasion, Sima Kamil, Deputy Governor SBP and her team assured their full support to resolve the long pending issues of rice exporters at Lebanon as well as existing problems. In the end, Anwar Mianoor SVC REAP presented REAP’s Shield and Flower Bouquet to Sima Kamil.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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