Reap Expresses Concerns About Transportation Issues Stemming from Axle Load Restrictions
Published on: November 30, 2023.
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Expressing Concern Over Axle Load Restrictions in Punjab, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan Urges Government to Take Urgent Action
LAHORE – The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has raised concerns regarding the recent implementation of axle load restrictions by the Punjab Government. Haseeb Ali Khan, Senior Vice Chairman of REAP, stated that transporters have refused to load paddy from farms to mills due to the new law.
The Basmati Paddy season is currently underway in Punjab and Sindh. However, the implementation of load restrictions has resulted in transporters rejecting the transportation of paddy from fields to mills. This is because it now requires almost double the number of transportation carriers to effectively transport the paddy within the stipulated time of 24 hours post-harvest in order to prevent the generation of mycotoxins.
It is worth noting that in 2022, Pakistan received over 40 rapid alerts from the EU regarding aflatoxins in rice. However, due to effective management by rice exporters, this number has been reduced to 10 in 2023. The current load restrictions have caused significant delays in transporting paddy to mills, resulting in a potential risk of over 400,000 tons of trade worth USD 500 million annually, as mycotoxin generation becomes a concern.
Haseeb Ali Khan emphasized the need to enhance transportation carriers before implementing such laws, as this would ensure that there are enough carriers available to ship paddy to dryers in a timely and efficient manner. He requested a delay of 2 months in the implementation of the law or an exemption for paddy/rice transportation.
It is feared that the refusal of transporters to comply with the load restrictions could lead to heavy losses for farmers and rice exporters. The All Pakistan Transport Workers Union has stated that prior to the introduction of axle load restrictions, different types of trawlers were able to carry various loads. For example, a 22-wheeler trawler could carry 74 tons, an 18-wheeler could carry 60 tons, a 14-wheeler trawler could carry 50 tons, a 10-wheeler trawler could carry 45 tons, a 6-wheeler Hino could carry 26 tons, and a Mazda vehicle could carry 13 tons.
To further complicate matters, the All Pakistan Transporters have announced a strike, which is set to cause additional delays and potential degradation of the grains at the farms. REAP urges the government to address the issue on an urgent basis in order to prevent any negative impact on exports.
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