Business

Commercial banks refuse to issue letters of credit to edible oil importers

Published

1 year ago

Farwa

Edible oil importers, ghee manufacturers told their LoCs can’t be opened at interbank exchange rates.
Banks willing to do business if importers open letters at Rs250 per dollar.
PVMA chairman requests SBP to address issue immediately.

LAHORE: Commercial banks are refusing to issue letters of credit for edible oil imports despite the exclusion of the sector from the condition of prior permission from the central bank, The News reported Friday.

Edible oil importers and ghee manufacturers have been informed unofficially that their letters of credit cannot be opened at the interbank exchange rates. However, the commercial banks were very much willing to do business with these importers if they were willing to open credit letters at Rs250 and above the exchange rate against a dollar.

Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA) Chairman Sheikh Abdul Razzaq in a letter to the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) governor said that “the ‘Commercial Banks’ are conveying to the importers-cum-manufacturers of edible oil that with immediate effect the edible oil has been excluded from the list of ‘Essential Items’ and hence turning down the requests for opening of L/Cs/retirement of documents”.

He further mentioned that the un-hindered opening of letters of credit/retirement of documents was inevitable. It should be given priority as accorded by SBP earlier vide EPD circular letter no. 20 of 2022 dated December 27, 2022 to avoid any crisis in the country, which could lead to increase in prices of cooking oil/ghee and shortage due to non-availability of the raw material (edible oil).

Pakistan imports 90% of its edible oil demand to meet the national requirement of over 4.5 million metric tonnes per annum. The existing domestic stocks are sufficient to meet the demand for only three to four weeks. However, the interruption in opening letters of credit could disrupt the smooth supply line and result in market disruption.

PVMA chairman requested the SBP to address the issue immediately and set aside the likely panic in the market, which might translate into a price hike, hoarding or retarded imports resulting in shortages.

“The industry is experiencing a unique and unprecedented kind of challenge wherein despite of sufficient stocks discharged in custom bonded warehouses at Karachi, it is unable to lift them due to refusal by banks to retire the documents,” he said.

Razzaq urged the SBP to direct the ‘commercial banks’ to honour the edible oil importers requests for credit letters and further inform the general public through media campaigns.

Business

Pakistan’s gold prices continue to decline.

Published

4 hours ago

Farwa

The price of ten grams of 24 carat gold dropped by Rs 1,201 to Rs 205,418 from Rs 206,619, while the price of ten grams of 22 carat gold dropped to Rs 188,300 from Rs 189,400, according to the All Sindh Sarafa Jewellers Association.

Silver, priced at Rs. 2,620 per tola and Rs. 2,254.80 per ten grams, stayed at that level. As reported by the organization, the price of gold dropped by $11 on the global market, to $2,297 from $2,308.

Business

Price of LPG “slashed” by Rs. 20 per kilogram

Published

4 hours ago

Farwa

Sources claim that LPG rates have been lowered by Rs 20, making the cost per kilogram drop from Rs 280 to Rs 260.

It is noteworthy to remark that the costs of LPG were reduced by Rs 20 per kilogram earlier, resulting in a total reduction of Rs 40 per kilogram within a few weeks.

The price of liquefied petroleum gas for the month of May 2024 was lowered by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on April 30.

The LPG tariffs were lowered by Rs 11.88 to Rs 238.46 per kilogram in accordance with the OGRA’s notice. On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, the new rates will go into effect.

In April of last year, the price per kilogram of LPG was Rs 250.34. pricing reduction of Rs 140.18 has resulted in a new pricing for home LPG cylinders set for May 2024 of Rs 2813.85.

The OGRA reported a drop in liquefied petroleum gas pricing in April. The price of LPG is now Rs 250.34 per kg instead of Rs 256.78 due to a reduction of Rs 6.44 per kg.

The price of the household cylinder was fixed at Rs 2954.03 for the month of April, down from Rs 3030.12, a decrease of Rs 76.9.

Business

ADB delegation stops by FBR headquarters

Published

4 hours ago

Farwa

Senior Director ADB Tariq Niazi oversaw the expedition, which also involved Sana Masood, Farzana Noshab, and Senior Public Sector Management Specialist Laisiasa Tora. The meeting included presentations from economists as well, according to an FBR press release.

The officers focused on structural and policy adjustments as they discussed the Domestic Resource Mobilization Program’s implementation at the meeting.

$300 million was given to the Pakistani government by ADB in December 2023 as a result of the hard work and dedication of FBR. Better laws, regulations, and institutional capability for the FBR were established by Sub-Program I.

With the $300 million in funding provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to the Government of Pakistan in December 2023, the delegation conveyed satisfaction with the program’s effective launch.

The FBR also underlined how crucial digitization is to recording the economy and boosting productivity in a sustainable way.

In order to promote the Government of Pakistan’s Digital Tax Administration Project, both parties decided to look into measures to improve their cooperation.