Pakistan’s Federal Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFSR) has increased the fee for issuance of phyto-certificate exorbitantly for the export consignments.

Exporters said that phyto-certificate fee has increased approximately 800 percent. Now, exporters are paying Rs. 2,500 to get a phyto-certificate (instead of Rs 300 previously), said All Pakistan Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, importers and Merchants Association (PFVA) Patron-in-Chief Waheed Ahmed.

This new fee structure was implemented in Sept. 2020. This is another stiff challenge for exporters and may hurt the export of fruit and vegetables, they added.

This decision of exorbitant increase in fee of the phyto-certificate was taken without any consultation with the All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, importers & Merchants Association (PFVA).

Waheed Ahmed: “This sudden exorbitant increase in the fee without any prior consultation with the main stakeholders is unbearable for the industry,” he said. “The fee hike of Rs2,200 will multiply the cost of export consignments exponentially, which will make it very difficult for exporters to compete in the international market.”

While the government was striving to enhance exports of fruits and vegetables, the fee increase indicated serious discrepancies in its desire and action for meeting the target, he said. Ahmed pointed out that the disproportionate increase in the fee would seriously hit exports sent via air.

[ Rs100 = €0,52 ]