Pakistan to consider vegetable imports from arch-rival India to mitigate floods fallout

• Miftah says govt can consider importing vegetables, other edible items from India to facilitate people.
• Prices of basic goods — particularly onions, tomatoes and chickpeas — are soaring.
• Analyst says there are good economic grounds to think of Pakistan-India moving on bilateral trade.

ISLAMABAD: Following a massive hike in flood prices due to current floods in the country, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail Monday said that Pakistan will consider importing vegetables from arch-rival India to mitigate flood fallout.

"We can consider importing vegetables from India," the minister said, adding that Turkey and Iran could also be other options.

Miftah said the government can consider importing vegetables and other edible items from India for the facilitation of the people in wake of the destruction of standing crops in Pakistan.

Unprecedented flash floods caused by historic monsoon rains have caused widespread damage affecting more than 33 million people.

Millions of acres of rich farmland have been flooded by weeks of non-stop rain. Prices of basic goods — particularly onions, tomatoes and chickpeas — are soaring as vendors bemoan a lack of supplies from the flooded breadbasket provinces of Sindh and Punjab.

Commenting on the possibility, Dr Khaqan Najeeb, former Advisor Ministry of Finance, told Geo.tv that regional integration can be thought of as a public good and the South Asia region can benefit from it.

“Thinking about India-Pakistan, there are good economic grounds to think of the two nations moving on bilateral trade,” he said.

The former adviser further added that at this time when a big chunk of crops have suffered due to floods it may help to especially consider the import of tomatoes, onions and greens and maybe wheat later on to ensure enough supply and price stability in the country.

Pakistan formally downgraded its trade relations with India in August 2019 to the level of Israel with which Islamabad has no trade ties at all. The decision had come as a reaction to India’s decision to revoke Article 370 of its constitution that granted occupied Kashmir a special status.

— Additional input from Reuters