ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan has underscored the government’s commitment to improving Pakistan’s agricultural exports through value addition, innovation and quality enhancement, particularly in the citrus sector.

The minister stated that citrus, especially Kinnow, holds a significant place in Pakistan’s export portfolio and regaining its competitive position in global markets is a key priority for the Ministry of Commerce, said a press release issued on Saturday.

“Our focus is on strengthening the entire value chain – from farms to foreign markets — by promoting modern agricultural practices, ensuring compliance with international standards and improving logistics infrastructure,” he said.

He was speaking in reference to the recent participation of the Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Company (PHDEC) in the Agri Expo Sargodha (October 7-8), where PHDEC organised a technical workshop titled “Enhancing Citrus Quality and Export Competitiveness: Pest and Disease Control Measures, Harvest and Post-Harvest Management and Effective Logistics Solutions.”

The workshop attracted a large number of citrus growers, exporters and researchers. Experts from the Citrus Research Institute (CRI), Sargodha, shared detailed guidance on pest and disease control, harvest techniques and post-harvest management aimed at improving fruit quality and reducing export losses.

PHDEC also distributed Urdu-language citrus booklets to help farmers adopt Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and modern orchard management techniques.

Maruti Suzuki India is intensifying efforts to boost sales of its entry-level cars, aiming to achieve record volumes for the Alto and S-Presso in the ongoing fiscal 2026. The company is relying on aggressive price reductions, festive finance schemes, and a focused push to attract two-wheeler riders into the four-wheeler segment.According to sources familiar with the matter told ET, Maruti has set a target to sell between 220,000 and 250,000 mini cars this fiscal year. The previous record for the segment was around 247,000 units in FY20.The renewed focus on small cars is part of Maruti’s broader strategy to arrest declining market share, which has been under pressure due to a slump in small-car sales alongside rising SUV demand. In FY25, the overall passenger vehicle market grew only 2% in cumulative wholesale dispatches, while Maruti’s market share fell to 40.9%, the lowest since FY13 when it stood at 39%. The company had commanded over 51% market share in FY19 and FY20.Maruti’s optimism is reinforced by a GST rate cut on small cars, which has effectively lowered prices by 11-13%. The company has also introduced a festive Rs 1,999 EMI scheme for entry-level models, launched during Navratri and extending through Diwali, to appeal to two-wheeler owners.

Dealers reported a surge in showroom footfalls and enquiries, particularly from rural and small-town buyers, though actual conversions remain limited. “The offer is very attractive and has brought new buyers into showrooms. We expect a major pickup during Dhanteras and Diwali,” said a Maruti dealer in western India.Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer (Sales and Marketing) at Maruti Suzuki, said the entry-level segment is showing early signs of revival. “The response to the Rs 1,999 EMI offer has been very positive. Many two-wheeler customers who earlier did not consider buying a car are now visiting our showrooms. We are literally seeing helmets on discussion tables – that’s a very good indicator,” he told ET.Banerjee added that overall festive-period booking momentum has been strong. “Just to give you a perspective, the Alto bookings in October (till date) were up around 60% compared to the same month last year.” He noted that bookings for cars in the 18% GST bracket, including small cars, have risen sharply, though it is still early to quantify their full impact on overall sales.Industry observers, however, expressed caution over Maruti’s ambitious targets. “It’s a very tall target. Over the last five years, the car buyer has become a lot more aspirational. Even a first-time buyer is not keen on an entry-level model and prefers a second-hand premium hatchback like a Baleno,” said an industry executive, requesting anonymity.Analysts believe that while the push on affordability may come at the cost of average selling price and near-term margins – potentially around 100 basis points – it could expand market share and improve operating leverage if consumer response remains positive. Kapil Singh of Nomura Research noted that the initiative may strengthen Maruti’s base.According to Puneet Gupta, Director, S&P Global Mobility, the GST reduction could reignite demand in the mini-car segment. “Expect a wave of innovation in financing, product offerings, and ownership schemes aimed at reviving this category,” he said. With only 36 cars per 1,000 people, India’s vehicle ownership remains among the lowest globally, and this push could serve as a catalyst for two-wheeler users to transition to four-wheelers.Maruti has reduced prices across its lineup by 2-21%, with the steepest cuts on the Alto, S-Presso, and Celerio (13-22%). Larger models, including the Brezza, Grand Vitara, and Invicto, have seen reductions of 2-8%.Banerjee emphasised that Maruti is committed to maintaining a balanced presence across all segments. “As a market leader, we must have a play across all segments – hatchbacks, SUVs, MPVs, CNG, hybrids, and EVs. That’s what leadership means,” he said.

Easing investment procedures for non-resident Indians (NRIs) is an “urgent goal” for Sebi, Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey said on Saturday, highlighting plans to simplify compliance and expand participation in Indian capital markets. Speaking at an event organised by the Bombay Stock Exchange Brokers’ Forum, Pandey emphasised the need for NRIs to complete know-your-customer (KYC) formalities without travelling to India.“We are yet to establish an easy and secure KYC access for NRIs to facilitate their participation in the securities market. This will be an urgent goal for us,” Pandey said, adding that Sebi is coordinating with the RBI and the Unique Identification Authority of India to develop a digital system for NRIs, PTI reported.With over 3.5 crore NRIs globally and India receiving USD 135 billion in remittances in FY25, Pandey said simplifying access to the markets could help tap a vast pool of investors. The move comes amid a slowdown in domestic retail investment, including a declining trend in systematic investment plan (SIP) inflows.Pandey also outlined Sebi’s broader agenda for foreign portfolio investors (FPIs). Following September’s announcement of a single-window, lighter compliance framework, Sebi aims to make FPI registration simple and fully portal-based. “We are already consulting our stakeholders to implement it … we would like to be among the best in the world in terms of facilitating registration,” he said.On domestic market infrastructure, Pandey stressed that Sebi, the RBI, and Income Tax authorities will collaborate to digitise registration while maintaining robust risk controls. The regulator is also revising broker regulations, expected to be completed by December this year, and strengthening cybersecurity measures, including guidelines for “air gap” systems and redundancy for clearing corporations.Sebi has moved toward predictive oversight, revamping its data warehouse to generate role-based alerts to detect fraudulent trades and pump-and-dump schemes. Pandey noted the rising prominence of algorithmic and high-frequency trading in equity and derivatives markets, with Sebi updating its regulatory framework to ensure transparency and market integrity.Cash equity volumes, hovering around Rs 1 lakh crore daily, prompted Pandey to highlight the need for deeper liquidity. Sebi will also review the stock lending and borrowing mechanism (SLBM) and continue consultative reforms in short-term derivatives markets to safeguard investor suitability and risk awareness.Pandey encouraged innovation across financial instruments to enhance market resilience and capital raising. He specifically noted potential growth in Chhota SIPs and commodity derivatives, promising Sebi support in addressing tax, delivery, and GST-related challenges to unlock their market potential.