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

The Clearance process for edible oil shipments is standing, leading to fear of a deficiency in the country. Over the past week, no edible oil shipments have been cleared.

Sheikh Omar Rehan, President of Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturer Association, said there is no available space at the terminal to unload the shipments. He added that 8 to 10 ships carrying more than 70,000 tonnes of palm oil are waiting in cows to derive their cargo. This situation threatens to cause a lack of ghee and edible oil on the market.

The association also revealed that heavy cuts and fines are introduced to the consignments, which are stuck at the harbor and worsened the financial impact.

Customs software suspension (PSW) also affects the clearance process, leading to significant losses for importers. The lack of approval exacerbates the edible oil deficiency.

Rehan noted that stops in approval cause serious damage to the economy, where importers face losses worth billions of rupis due to the delay in shipping processing.

The delay has highlighted the ongoing challenges in Pakistan’s ports, which are crucial to the smooth flow of goods inland.