FTO orders ‘one-time’ clearance to vessels carrying soybean shipments

ISLAMABAD: Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) has ordered the Customs intelligence to give one-time clearance to the vessels carrying soybean shipments at the country’s ports, ARY News reported on Friday.

The FTO took an important decision regarding the soybean-carrying vessels at different ports by Customs, increasing risks of an acute shortage of soybean used for poultry feed across the country.

The federal ombudsman [Wafaqi Mohtasib] gave one-time permission for the clearance of the vessels carrying soybean shipments stuck at ports. The Customs intelligence has been directed to immediately release the vessels.

FTO’s Advisor Customs Dr Arslan Subuctageen announced in a press conference today that the case was lodged on the complaint of the Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA).

READ: CUSTOMS CEASES NINE VESSELS OF ILLEGAL GM SOYABEAN CARGO: MINISTER

The case was resolved under Clause 20 of the Pakistan Biosafety Rules which allows licensed imports. Dr Arsalan said that the nine vessels, under the rules, were licenced imports.

He further said that the decision of the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) could not be challenged in court nor any institution could raise an objection to its verdict.

The FTO’s adviser said that the Customs officials were bound to clear the vessels loaded with soybean containers within a week.

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It is pertinent to mention here that nine vessels carrying soybean shipments anchored at the ports had been stopped by the Customs authorities.

Earlier, it was learnt that the country is expected to see a sharp surge in the prices of chicken and egg following the soybean meal shortage.

The prices of chicken would be soared up to Rs1,000 per kilogram and eggs per dozen up to Rs500 due to soybean meal scarcity due to non-clearance of soybean and canola seed shipments at the port.

READ: CHICKEN AND EGG PRICES LIKELY TO SURGE AFTER SOYBEAN MEAL SHORTAGE

The soybean and canola seed shipments had been facing a delay in clearance at the port due to the negligence of the federal government, affecting the poultry farms and other industries.

The PPA chairman Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf said if the issue is not addressed, the country will have to import eggs and chickens.

PPA and All Pakistan Solvent Extractors’ Association (APSEA) had demanded the federal government to immediately resolve the issue besides issuing a notification for the crushing of soybean and canola meals.