Govt to focus on diversification of export products: Razak Dawood
ISLAMABAD, Sep 17 (APP):Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industries and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood on Tuesday underlined that the current government was focusing on the diversification of export products through policy intervention by providing technical and financial support.
Adviser to PM on Commerce, Abdul Razak Dawood said this in meeting with delegation from the honey producers and exporters.
Pakistan is home to some of the most diverse flora and fauna and produces 20 types of honey due to its varied ecological and climatic conditions, said a press release issued by Ministry of Commerce.
He said that Pakistan’s exports were $ 6.9 Million in 2018 and its major export destinations were Saudi Arabia, 70.6 percent, United Arab Emirates, 15.1 percent and Kuwait percent each. The honey exports
were far below than the real potential especially to the high-end markets, he added.
He further highlighted that in order to explore the untapped honey potential of the country there was a need to acquaint the concerned stakeholders and business community of the honey producing regions
like Abbottabad with the modern production techniques, encouragement, awareness of the private sector and the most important entrepreneurial growth and cluster development.
“For this, we need to train our stakeholders so that can comply with requisite standards and SPS requirements of high-end markets including EU which will increase our honey export manifold,” he said.
He also emphasized that Ministry of Commerce (MOC) would constitute a product (honey) specific working group comprising of all the stakeholders including, honey producers, exporters, marketing experts and researchers to devise a strategy in order to overcome the bottlenecks and to develop
production and marketing techniques that will help boosting the country’s honey export.
He said the MOC will also provide technical and financial assistance to honey exporters in local and international markets in order to target high-end markets like EU.
Further, it will help in developing linkages with local business community, beekeepers and other stakeholders to evaluate the trade potential of this viable sector, he added.
Advisor to PM said the MOC has formulated Geographical Indication (GI) Law and E-Commerce Policy which will help SMEs to enhance their exports through registration of the local honey varieties in international and online sales.
