Country faces ghee, cooking oil shortage

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Pakistan is facing potential shortages of ghee and cooking oil, with shipments of edible oil stuck at Port Qasim for over a week, sparking concerns about supply disruptions, Express News reported.

The clearance process for edible oil shipments has come to a standstill, leading to fears of a shortage in the country. Over the past week, no edible oil consignments have been cleared.

Sheikh Omar Rehan, Chairman of the Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association, stated that there is no available space at the terminal to unload the shipments. He added that 8 to 10 ships, carrying more than 70,000 metric tonnes of palm oil, are waiting in queues to discharge their cargo. This situation is threatening to cause a shortage of ghee and edible oil in the market.

The association further revealed that heavy demurrages and fines are being imposed on the consignments stuck at the port, exacerbating the financial impact.

The suspension of customs software (PSW) is also affecting the clearance process, leading to significant losses for importers. The lack of clearance is worsening the edible oil shortage.

Rehan noted that the halt in clearance is causing severe damage to the economy, with importers facing losses worth billions of rupees due to the delay in shipment processing.

The delay has highlighted the ongoing challenges at Pakistan’s ports, which are vital for the smooth flow of goods into the country.