Indonesia continues to impose 20 percent duty on import of citrus fruit from Pakistan despite notification of the PTA with effect from January 19, 2013 as the Trade Development Authority Pakistan had failed to issue “certificate of origin” for the products, Paistan’s Ambassador to Indonesia Sanaullah said in Jakarta on Tuesday.
In an e-mail message to Business Recorder Ayesha Tassaduq, press attaché said that CEO of Arif Group of Companies, Muhammad Sadiq, who exports citrus fruit to Indonesia, Philippines and Singapore called on the Ambassador of Pakistan to Indonesia, Sanaullah today to enquire about progress in regard to zero tariffs on import of citrus fruits from Pakistan in the light of the Indonesia-Pakistan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
The CEO was informed that the Indonesian side continued to impose 20% duty on the import of citrus fruit despite notification of the PTA with effect from January 19, 2013. The main reason had been the inability of TDAP to issue the ‘Certificate of Origin’ for the product.
The Ambassador further informed the visiting fruit exporter that to get the requisite benefits from zero tariffs for Kinnow with immediate effect, fruit exporters can call on senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce and explain the complexities of withholding implementation of PTA by Pakistan.
The Ambassador said that in view of the fact that Indonesia has cleared most of the disputed 12 tariff lines and clarification is needed about two tariff lines, the Government of Pakistan, if possible, should complete the process quickly to reap the benefit of PTA.
According to estimates notified by some Pakistani fruit exporters to the Mission, Pakistan could have earned US $7-8 millions this season if the issue of zero tariffs for Kinnow had been resolved. The Mission has been in touch with local ministries of Trade and Industry to expedite clarification on the pending two tariff lines so that market access for Pakistani products does not suffer limitation.
