Islamabad

Pakistan exports at least 2,700 tonnes of gypsum, widely used as a fertiliser, to India daily through the Wagah border, the commerce minister said today.

Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan told the National Assembly that gypsum is being exported to India in ‘crushed loose form’ with value up to USD 22 per tonne.

Gypsum, a soft sulfate mineral, is widely used as a fertiliser, and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard chalk and wallboard.

To a question, Khan said the major reason for decline in Pakistan’s exports was a massive decline in commodity prices across the world, Radio Pakistan reported.

He said another reason was the recession in international market and slowdown in China which resulted in decrease in demand.

Khan, however, said there was a decrease in exports in terms of value and not in terms of quantity. The minister said the main focus of the trade policy is on value addition. PTI