The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (Unisame) has appreciated the recommendations of the Small and Medium Enterprises Authority (Smeda) for allowing export of white food grade poppy seeds (Khashkhash) and gur.
The Unisame also thanked the Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) for issuing the standard for both commodities, a statement said on Monday.
The Unisame also expressed gratitude to the Lahore High Court for permitting production of gur and raw sugar without any restraint from the provincial and federal governments.
The Unisame Council invited the attention of Adviser to the PM on Commerce Razak Dawood to his agenda of creating export culture and urged him to allow export of both the commodities after they have acquired the PSQCA standards and have good export potential.
Unisame President Zulfikar Thaver said that the PSQCA has declared white food grade poppy seeds (Khashkhash) as food and food ingredients and has removed the stigma.
He said that the export of both commodities will earn valuable foreign exchange and benefit the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) farmers, processors and exporters. Smeda has recommended export of both the commodities and has also recommended modernisation facilities for gur production, he added.