Recommendations Made for Immediate Potato Export to Russia, Stricter Standards for Artificially Sweetened Drinks and Review of Mango Export Policy

Islamabad (Izhar Khan Niazi) — A meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research was held under the chairmanship of Chairman Syed Tariq Hussain, where issues related to the potato crisis, mango exports, and quality standards of artificially sweetened beverages were reviewed.

The committee was informed that Russia has allowed 101 Pakistani companies to export potatoes. The committee directed that surplus potato stocks should be exported to Russia immediately so that farmers could receive fair prices for their produce.

The committee recommended further tightening quality standards for artificially sweetened beverages, introducing clear warning labels, stopping the sale of such drinks in schools and hospitals, making quarterly laboratory testing mandatory, and setting the minimum fruit pulp content in juices at 10 percent.

The meeting also reviewed mango exports and recommended that the export schedule should be prepared according to provinces and mango varieties.

The committee directed the ministry to present a comprehensive report regarding mango exports before the next meeting.