KARACHI: Ismail Suttar Chairman Salt Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SMAP) urged government to speed up efforts to get pink salt registered as Geographical Indication (GI) tag product through Intellectual Property Organisation like Basmati rice. He termed minerals to chemicals value addition to future of Pakistan.

Addressing annual dinner of SMAP Ismail said that 50 companies had applied for pink salt GI tag, which is being considered by PMDC. “There are 92 minerals in Pakistan, but except for gypsum, no work has been done on minerals to chemicals, but we have started research work in this regard, with aim of establishing testing laboratory in Balochistan, for which Trade Development Authority should cooperate with us.”

Zubair Motiwala, CEO TADAP while assuring support for establishment of testing laboratory in Balochistan and GI tag of pink salt said that there were vast opportunities for development in pink salt sector.

Younus Dagha Chairman PABF PCCI said that exports should not be limited to few sectors, especially minerals and agricultural sectors that need attention. ‘’We are working on minerals to chemicals which has immense opportunities for value addition.”

Currently, chrome is being exported at $ 200 per tonne, which may go up to $ 400 after value addition, while value of ferrochrome is up to $ 1,400. Secretary Mines Sindh Khalid Chachar said that we have issued 86 permits for salt while 39,000 hectares of land has been leased.

Asghar Karim General Manager of Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation said that pink salt is being registered after which traders associated with this sector will be able to use logo.

CEO Ismail Industries Maqsood Ismail, Programme Manager USI Sindh Balochistan Dr. Fatima Khan, SVP FPCCI Suleman Chawla, SVP SMAP Yaqoob Paracha, Chief Coordinator Site Association of Industry Saleem Parekh were also present.

Published in The Daily National Courier, May, 05 2023

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