The export of oranges from Pakistan to Malaysia has seen a pivotal development as the laboratory testing requirement has been lifted. The President of Sargodha Chamber, Khawaja Yasir Qayyum, announced that the Food Safety Quality Program Division (FSQD) of Malaysia's Ministry of Health issued an advisory note in November 2024, which initially mandated the stoppage and inspection of orange shipments at Malaysian ports. This directive posed a significant barrier to trade between the two nations.
Efforts to reverse this mandate were initiated by Khawaja Yasir Qayyum, who engaged with the Ambassador at the High Commission during Malaysia's Independence Day celebrations. This engagement led to a crucial meeting with Mr. Jam Kamal Khan, the Federal Minister for Commerce, where the issue was thoroughly discussed.
Following these discussions, the FSQD of the Ministry of Health of Malaysia has rescinded the inspection requirement, thereby facilitating smoother trade flows of oranges to Malaysia. Khawaja Yasir Qayyum also extended his gratitude towards Ms. Tahira Javed, the Trade and Investment Counselor at the High Commission of Pakistan in Malaysia, for her instrumental role in addressing this issue.
Source: 24 Digital