KARACHI: Federal Minister of
Commerce Makhdoom Amin Fahim declaring provinces responsible for increase in
sugar prices said that the federal government has an ample stock of 300,000
tonnes of sugar but provinces are not taking quota.
The federal minister said this while talking to media after a monthly meeting at
TDAP on Monday. He said that sugar price can be controlled at provincial level
if provinces take their quota from the federal government on time. “We are
releasing sugar at utility stores if they are not selling commodity, then its
Utility Stores Corporation’s issue,” he said adding that action would be taken
against utility stores in this regard.
Fahim during his visit at Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) head
office, also met with the new CE TDAP and leading businessmen of the city. Tariq
Iqbal Puri who took charge as CE TDAP on 4th October 2010, assured the minister
that he would direct the organisation with determination to achieve the export
targets announced in the 3-year trade policy 2009-12.
The CE gave a detailed presentation on the new initiatives at TDAP, which
included: Launching of Web Portal, A regular monthly Press Conference,
Development of Product Documentaries, Up-gradation of Information &
Communication Library.
The CE emphasised that to make TDAP a knowledge based organisation, capacity
building of TDAP officers was imperative. Improved interaction with trade &
industry would be undertaken through forming of Sectorial Consultative
Committees.
The Minister of Commerce reposed his confidence in the leadership of Tariq Iqbal
Puri and appreciated the timely projects & initiatives being undertaken by TDAP.
In a subsequent meeting with the trade representatives, the Federal Minister
said that the government has been successful in getting trade concessions from
European Union (EU) and urged the trade representatives to add more value to the
manufacture of goods for optimum utilisation of the EU trade concession.
He said that it will help Pakistan’s economy recover from immense stress caused
by the unprecedented floods across the country. He advised TDAP to provide all
the needed assistance to the private sector for taking benefit of this
concession and hoped that the private sector would be able to fully utilise this
opportunity.
The minister advised the business community to change their traditional business
outlook and explore non-traditional, innovative, value-added products, as well
as non-traditional markets of Asia and Africa, instead of simply continuing to
focus on traditional products in traditional markets. As Asia and Africa are
showing high economic growth rates, “this means greater demand for our goods
would be generated from there in future.”
The minister assured the business leaders that the government is quite cognizant
of the difficulties the business community is facing, and will make utmost
efforts to resolve the difficulties.