The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan’s step to take control of Quality Review Committee (QRC) from Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) will open a new door of corruption, as TDAP officials will demand kickbacks for every quality certificate for rice export at a time when rice trade has already declined by up to 35 per cent due to wrong policies of the government.

This was observed by REAP chairman Jawed Ali Ghori and vice chairman Ch Samee Ullah while addressing a meeting of the Managing Committee held here on Wednesday. The meeting was also attended by former chairmen of REAP Abdul Rahim Janoo, Javed Islam Agha, Peer Nazim Hussain and several other members of committee.

“Besides, genuine exporters would also face delays in trade activities due to the cumbersome documentation and legal proceedings to get their consignments certified from government offices.”

Giving QRC control to government department and elimination of private stakeholders’ involvement is a setback for rice export, which is already on decline, they added. They urged the Ministry of Commerce to either abolish QRC or give Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan a proper representation in it.They demanded government to give exporters a fair representation in QRC on an urgent basis, as they are the real stakeholders. Otherwise the exporters will have no option except exporting their commodity any certification. If government does not accept our demands, the exporters may stop the rice exports.

Ch Samee Ullah added that 98 per cent of rice exports of Pakistan have been done through Karachi and head office of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan is also in Karachi but all the powers have been given to Director General TDAP Lahore which is not understandable.

He further said that rice exporters are in trouble due to QRC matters. REAP is contributing a handsome share in country’s foreign exchange but transferring the control of QRC to DG TDAP Lahore will create monopoly and export of rice will severely damage.

Therefore Ministry of Commerce must take urgent step and issue necessary orders to give REAP, the proper representation in QRC. Otherwise, rice exporters will be forced to go on strike, the chairman and managing committee warned.

It is to be noted that the Ministry of Commerce vide notification number 4(10)/05-E superseded public notice dated March 3,1999 and had taken fiscal and other control of the QRC and placed it under the control of Director General (DG) Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) as its chairman. Exporters are now taking the issue as one of the stumbling blocks in the export of rice. The QRC in government control has created uncertainty about exports, they added