NA panel recommends surplus potato export

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary body on Wednesday directed the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNF&R) to take immediate steps for export of surplus potato stock to the Russian market to save growers from huge financial losses. The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research, which met with MNA Syed Tariq Hussain in the chair, asked MNF&R to take concrete measures for potato export. MNA Rana Muhammad Hayat said that potato growers suffered huge financial losses. “The government has done nothing to save farmers,” he said. READ MORE: Russia approves potato imports from Pakistan Senior officials of MNFS&R, while briefing the committee, said that following the directions of the committee, so far 101 companies were registered with the Russian Federation on July 7, to facilitate potato exports after the lifting of the earlier import restrictions. The registration of companies would significantly increase potato exports during the coming season, they said. They told the committee that the area under cultivation of potatoes has witnessed an increase during the last few years. The area under potato cultivation had increased from 177,700 hectares in 2015–16 to 462,160 hectares in 2025–26. During the previous meeting, the officials of the Punjab food department said that potato production has reached 12 million tons this year, which is 2.2 million tons higher than last year. The parliamentary body recommended the setting up of a centralized inter-ministerial and inter-provincial coordination cell at the federal level to enhance collaboration on food security, improve regulatory oversight, market monitoring, export facilitation, and the prevention of cross-border smuggling. Amir Ali Ahmed, Secretary, MNFS&R, told the committee that the PC-I for the proposed initiative had been finalised and would be implemented within three months. The panel also questioned the transparency of the recruitment process for the appointment of 80 scientists. The Ministry informed the Committee that the recruitment process had been cancelled. The officials also presented the report of the consultative inter-ministerial meeting with representatives of juice manufacturers, farmers, the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), the National Institute of Health (NIH), the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), and other relevant stakeholders for reviewing quality standards for beverages containing artificial sweeteners and assess their potential health implications before the parliamentary body. The committee recommended that provincial food authorities and Islamabad submit their recommendations to PSQCA within one week. The committee directed PSQCA to call a meeting of its Technical Committee, with the participation of all stakeholders, to revise beverage standards in light of the findings of NIH, provincial Food Authorities, and internationally accepted scientific research regarding the health effects of artificial sweeteners and chemical additives, particularly on children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. The committee further asked PSQCA to issue comprehensive guidelines to provincial food authorities, make quarterly testing of beverages through PSQCA-recognised laboratories mandatory, and ensure effective monitoring and enforcement. It further recommended increasing the minimum fruit pulp content in juice products to at least 10 percent. The committee recommended that beverages containing artificial sweeteners should not be sold in schools and hospitals. It also sought details from provincial food authorities regarding fines imposed and samples collected during the previous six months under the existing quality standards. During the meeting, the Vice President of the Multan Mango Growers Association informed the committee that the excessive consumption of artificially sweetened beverages was contributing to the increasing incidence of premature diabetes among children and adversely affecting pancreatic health. The committee directed him to submit detailed recommendations for onward transmission to the Ministry, saying that he should be invited to participate in the PSQCA Technical Committee meeting as a subject expert. MNAs Waseem Qadir, Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan, Nadeem Abbas, Abdul Qadir Khan, Musarrat Asif Khawaja, Nazir Ahmed Bhugio, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, and Syed Ayaz Ali Shah Sheerazi, as well as, senior officials of MNFS&R, also attended the meeting. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026