(IRNA) - Iranian Deputy Commerce Minister Mr. Moffateh called on Pakistani Minister for Commerce Mr. Humayun Akhtar Khan and discussed bilateral trade between the two counties particularly the export of basmati rice to Iran.
Khan told the visiting deputy minister that Pakistan is a big exporter of kinnow, which is unique to Pakistan, reports Trend.
"Here it is important that Iran has quarantine requirement on import of Pakistani fruit like mango and kinnow," he said, according to a Commerce Ministry statement.
"There are no such quarantine conditions imposed even by the European countries on import of fruit from Pakistan," Khan said.
The Iranian official said that Iran exports onion but imports potato. "Pakistan could export its surplus potato to Iran." He said that there is considerable potential for expanding trade between the two countries. "The environment is ready for trade".
Bilateral trade between Pakistan and Iran has jumped from dlrs 141.7 million in 1999-2000, to dlrs 638 million in 2005-06. Export from Pakistan has increased from dlrs 24 million in 2000-01 to dlrs 188 million in 2005-06, registering an eight fold increase during this period.
Pakistan and Iran signed a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) in March 2004.
The PTA has gone into effect since 1st September, 2006. Pakistan and Iran have granted tariff concessions on more than 600 items under the PTA.
It is imperative to enlarge the ambit of PTA and to further deepen the tariff concessions.