Pakistan strikes to recapture Afghanistan’s wheat market

Plans to open Torkha­m border for twenty-four hours a day for export­s by August this yr

Representational graphic. image: REUTERS

LAHORE: Pakistan is making efforts to open up a potential 2-million-ton wheat export market in Afghanistan and has begun taking particular measures according to calls for of exporters.

The move comes after Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Jehangir Tareen met with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (k-P) Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, senior Federal Board of profits (FBR) officers and representatives of security forces.

in the first part, the period for which goods vehicles may be allowed to circulate during the Torkham border has been improved to 10 hours and plans are afoot to open the border 24 hours a day for exports by means of August this 12 months.

Sources talked about this might keep exporters Rs90,000 per truck in transportation prices. other than this, at the advice of Karachi exporters, work has begun on a undertaking to reserve high protein and gluten wheat from Punjab and Sindh for export handiest.

based on exporters, the high protein and gluten wheat from Pakistan can sell for $8 to $10 more per ton in overseas markets. in the past, Pakistani exporters used to send 1 to 1.2 million lots of wheat to Afghanistan, but due to the executive's uncertain export policies, Pakistan gradually misplaced the wheat market in Afghanistan and Russian wheat and grain took its region.

major Minister Imran Khan has passed over the assignment of decision of agricultural issues and adopting measures for agricultural construction to his shut aide Tareen. during the past few days, Tareen has held high-stage conferences with wheat exporters in Punjab, Sindh and ok-P by which quite a lot of counsel to increase Pakistan's share within the 2-million-ton Afghan wheat market were regarded.

Exporters sending wheat to Afghanistan suggested Tareen that at the moment items vehicles have an eight-hour window to move the border and during this length round 250 vehicles go. They pointed out if the border is opened for an extended period, all exports together with wheat will raise. similarly, Karachi exporters advised Tareen that they export low protein and gluten wheat, which fetches lower expenses in world markets.

Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Hala, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Rahim Yar Khan and other areas in Sindh and Punjab produce wheat with larger protein and gluten, which they spoke of can be kept and exported for better earnings.

When contacted by The specific Tribune, Tareen pointed out he had examined the assistance in his meeting with ok-P's political management and security capabilities, after which in the first phase, the length for items carriers passing throughout the Torkham border has been extended from eight hours to 10 hours.

In April, this period can be elevated to 12 hours, and via August, the Torkham border may be opened for twenty-four hours a day for exports. "On the demand of Sindh exporters, lab checks of wheat from a lot of Punjab districts have all started, so that the percentage of protein and gluten can be decided. After this, we can choose the districts producing high protein and gluten wheat and should reserve them for export purposes," Tareen introduced.

He spoke of there's a tremendous wheat market in Afghanistan, which might now not most effective be a source of foreign exchange, however would also advantage Pakistan farmers with greater fees and domestic flour mills because of extended wheat crushing undertaking.

speaking to The categorical Tribune, Flour Mills affiliation chief and wheat exporter Hafiz Ahmed said Afghanistan had been a large market for Pakistan during the past, however, unclear executive policies let it slip out of its hands.

"currently, there's a superb demand for Pakistani wheat and grain in Afghanistan since it is an awful lot cheaper than Russian wheat, however Afghan merchants don't have have confidence in Pakistan because they accept as true with we can't convey on time." 

posted in the specific Tribune, March 29th, 2019.

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