Seek help to enhance agriculture exports to Russia

The business community of Southern Punjab has urged upon the government to extend all possible assistance and facilitation to exporters for focusing on Russia, Central Asian states, Iran, Iraq and other countries as they offered immenseuntapped opportunities for boosting exports of agricultural products.Fareed Mughis Sheikh President of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) said that Pakistan could get handsome share from Russia in imports of food and agri products which stood at $43 billion during 2013-14 while its ban on import of food products from West and Europe had created a huge opportunity for Pakistan to enhance its agricultural exports to Russia, but Pakistan didn't tap that as yet.He said that Pakistan's current trade with Russia was hovering around USD 500 million while there was a great scope as well as potential to improve it. He said Pakistan has the potential to promote exports of many agro products to Russia including rice, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, sea food which are in huge demand in that big market. Fareed Sheikh was optimistic that Pakistan can get share of 5 to 7 billion in Russian imports by exporting citrus, vegetables, rice, mangoes, potatoes, dates, milk, meat etc. He said Russian import of dairy products was about USD 4.3 billion and Pakistan was one of the leading milk producers in the world. He said Pakistan should focus on value addition of dairy products to grab better market share in Russia.Fareed Sheikh emphasised that Pakistani companies should bring quarantine and quality standards at par with international requirements in order to improve export of food products to Russia and Central Asian States.News SourceNews Collated byPAKISSAN.comCourtesy www.brecorder.com