KARACHI: Over 400 containers of vegetables have been stuck up at ports as commercial banks are not issuing documents due to shortage of dollars.
All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association in a letter to the commerce ministry sent on Tuesday, stated that the containers of Onion are still held up at the various terminals of Karachi sea port since the commercial banks are not releasing the documents due to non-availability of foreign exchange as per statement of the banks.
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The in-ordinance delay in timely clearance would lead to multiplication of cost of the containers (e.g. terminal charges and shipping charges) with each passing day. The high cost of onion containers would have a serious negative impact on common men making onion out of their reach due to high price and hence the government sincere initiative to provide relief to the common men would be jeopardized.
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The association said that as of today the wholesale rate of onion is Rs175 per kilogram and retail price is Rs250-270 per kg and with further delay in clearance, these rates are anticipated to further shoot up depriving the common men to buy the daily used vegetable onion.
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The status of containers of various vegetables held up the various terminals of Karachi sea ports as of today is as follow:
Onion: 250 containers approximately worth $2.1 million
Ginger: 63 containers approximately worth $0.82 million
Garlic: 104 containers approximately worth $2.53 million
The association demanded the government to take prompt action in the best interest of the common people to provide relief to them and make sincere efforts of the government successful.
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