The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) has asked Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to bear the expenses of eight experts' visit to Canada and Australia for examining 0.2 million tons wheat to be imported from these countries. The ministry had proposed to TCP to adjust the expenditure of the visits in the final cost of imported commodity, official sources told Business Recorder here on Monday.

They said that eight officials of Plant Protection Department, a subsidiary of Minfal, would visit Australia and Canada to examine the wheat to be imported from these countries.

Four 'experts' each would be leaving for these countries in March to check whether the commodity is free of viruses and other impurities.

Sources said that the decision of sending 'experts' to these countries was taken with a view to avoiding any controversy in the future.

The Ministry dispatched a letter to TCP on February 12 asking to bear these expenses.

On February 16, TCP Chairman Masood Alam Rizvi wrote a letter to the Ministry asking it to clarify in which head the expenses of visit should be adjusted.

The ministry has prepared a draft to inform the TCP that the expenses should be adjusted in the cost of imported commodity.

Asked why a large number (eight) of officials were visiting, sources said that since a lot of technicalities were involved in the assessment of wheat, 'experts' of sampling, grading and assessment separately were required.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005