Karachi: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has raised concerns with Ms. Nadia Jehangir Seth, the CEO of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), about the challenges facing SME exporters. Zulfikar Thaver, president of UNISAME, expressed concern over the government's recent policies, which he says are increasing the burden on exporters instead of providing necessary support. He noted that rising freight rates have made exports uncompetitive, leading to cancellations of orders and jeopardizing SME exporters.

According to the Union of Small and Medium Enterprises, amendments under SRO 1423(I)/2026 to the Pakistan Plant Quarantine Rules, 2019, have introduced a new charge of Rs.50 per Metric Ton for Phytosanitary Certificates. This change replaces the previous fixed fee of approximately Rs.2,500 per certificate, significantly increasing the financial burden on exporters. Haider Ratnani, convener of the Agri Committee, highlighted that exporters now face double payments when corrections or reissues of certificates are needed, even without fresh shipments.

UNISAME has urged the intervention of the SMEDA chief to review the new charges, eliminate double payments, and engage with exporters and relevant chambers to reassess these fees. The Union warned that such additional costs could undermine Pakistan’s export competitiveness and affect foreign exchange earnings.