“Pakistan has banned Indian Tomato in 2016” Waheed Ahmed
Karachi, February 20, 2019: Pakistan has banned import of Indian tomato for the last three year due to diseases.
Pakistani vegetable experts have rejected the Indian media claim that Indian farmers/ exporters have refused to export tomato to Pakistan after the Pulwama (Kashmir) attack.
Waheed Ahmed leading vegetable and fruit exporter and former Chairman Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters and Merchants Association (PVMA) told thebizupdate.com that Indian tomato cannot be imported in Pakistan as its import has been banned in Pakistan since 2016.
“Department of Plant Protection is not issuing certificates for tomato import from India and without issuance of certificate import is not possible”, he mentioned.
He said the domestic shortage and higher price of tomato in Pakistan is due to climate change and the situation will be improved in next 10 days. New tomato crop is likely to arrive in next ten days after which prices of the commodity will be decreased in local market, he added.
The prices hike is not due to Indian announcement but due to lower crop and claimant change, Waheed said. He urged the commissioner Karachi for taking action against black marketing of tomato in retail market.
As per reports per kg tomato price has reached above one dollar rate and being sold at Rs 140 to Rs 150 per kilogram in the retail market, however, market sources said that the price in the wholesale market (Mandi) is about Rs 100 per kilogram.
