Business leaders have urged the government to maintain tax-free export regimes and eliminate unnecessary, cumbersome restrictions, arguing that these measures are essential for boosting the country’s food and agriculture exports.
Talking to Business Recorder at the third iteration of FoodAg 2025 – an international food and agriculture exhibition 2025 held at Karachi Expo Centre – Shangrila Foods representative Hammad Hassan Khan said the government must immediately remove tedious details and restrictions on foreign clients in ports and shipping as well as the banking sector for better growth in export. He lamented such restrictions are increasing day by day and discouraging exports.
“We are the largest juice exporter of the country, we export juices to US, Canada, European countries while we have been exporting sauces and other food items to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries including Saudi Arabia and the UAE since the last 17 years, maintaining and continuously improving quality.”
The company sends around 30 40-foot containers abroad on a monthly basis, while it deals with dozens of distributors in foreign countries.
Meanwhile HubSalt Manager International Business Development and Sales Sufyan Zafar said, “being the largest salt exporter among 1,300 salt companies and traders in the country, we demand tax relaxation so that we will be compatible with other countries in the region. We have been in the salt business since 43 years and generating millions of US dollars annually. We export to countries including US, EU, Australia, Vietnam, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong.”
The National Logistics Corporation’s (NLC) stall attracted the attention of local and foreign visitors. It has been playing a vital role in strengthening supply chain of all items and products.
Representatives said the company is carrying out 2,500 cross-border operations – mostly exports – employing multiple modes of transportation to provide logistics solutions to a wide range of customers.
Accoridng to them, the NLC is the only organization in the country with a state-of-the-art fleet that is fully compliant with standards of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), National Highway Authority (NHA), Crude Oil Sale Agreement (COSA) and Health Safety and Environment (HSE) in dry and liquid cargo transportation.
The NLC has developed modern and advanced cold chain facilities across the country and deployed reefer fleets for domestic and cross-border trade aimed to meet the rising demand for temperature-controlled logistics.
Meanwhile All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers & Merchants Association Patron-in-Chief Waheed Ahmed told Business Recorder, ”Such kinds of exhibitions play an important role in promoting local products. We should also focus on supermarkets in foreign countries where our local products are exported. Our mangoes and kinnows have a unique flavour and should be promoted.”
