Pakistan has started negotiations with Afghan government to decrease 25 percent duty imposed by Afghan authorities on export of potato from Pakistan to benefit local formers and exporters. An official said that Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan during a meeting with some parliamentarian said that the government is making utmost efforts to resolve the issue of potato.

He said that Ministry of NFS&R has started coordination with provincial agriculture departments regarding the issue. The minister said that no tax is imposed on the export of potato by the government. "The issue of Afghan duty which is around 25 percent and has been imposed by Afghan authorities since 2015 also came under discussion during meeting with the parliamentarian," he said, adding that the minister said that negotiations regarding decrease in the said duty are underway with Afghan government through embassy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019