1.   

VHT condition bars Pak mango entry in Japan

Pakistan will not be able to export mangoes to Japan, at least for the current season, officials said. “Vapour Heat Treatment (VHT) of the fruit is the basic condition of the Japanese authorities to allow import of Pakistani mangoes,” an official close to the mater told The News. “Although Japan has lifted its 16-year old ban on Pakistani mangoes, the VHT condition remains intact,” he said. There is no VHT plant of commercial level in Pakistan, the official said.

2.   

Govt extends DEPB scheme by 3 months

The government has decided to give one last fresh lease of life to the Duty Entitlement Pass Book (DEPB) scheme by extending its validity till September 30, even as an alternative scheme is in the works. The DEPB is a reimbursement of basic and special Customs duty paid by an exporter on an imported input used in the export product. The benefit is given by way of a grant of duty credit against the export product at specified rates.

3.   

Credit sales hit rice exporters

Since 2006-07 , rice exporters and traders have been paying buyers abroad to purchase the best known aromatic rice variety in the world, the Basmati. The practice is threatening to dent the bottom lines of some big exporters now, making them jittery ahead of the new marketing season and forcing them to look anew at home markets.

4.   

India to grant essential commodities to the Maldives

The Indian government yesterday approved the supply of a list of essential commodities requested by the Maldives government for the remainder of 2011, the Foreign Ministry has said. According to the ministry, the government of India has approved exports of essential food commodities such as sugar, eggs, potatoes, onions, dhal, and wheat flour.