Tremendous rise in rice export via Quetta

Rice export through Balochistan border has tremendously increased, crossing the figure of 0.5 million tons, as 250,000 tons rice was exported to Iran, and the same quantity was exported to Afghanistan in the nine months of this fiscal year.
Dozens of the trailers have been reported running on Quetta-Zahidan and Quetta-Kandhar routes to transport rice from Pakistan to Iran and Afghanistan.
Quetta-based exporters say that Pakistan's rice is not only being exported to neighbouring Iran and Afghanistan but is also being sent to Iraq and Central Asian Republics through land routes.
Both Irri-6 and Basmati varieties of Pakistani rice are equally popular in these countries and almost equal quantity of both varieties has been exported to Iran and Afghanistan.
As many as 18 trailers of 40 tons capacity are running across the border for transporting this commodity from Pakistan to Iran under Transport International Permit (TIP). These trailers are running across the border on daily basis to transport rice from Quetta to Zahidan - the nearest city of Iran - while some other Irani and Pakistani trailers are also running from Quetta to Zahidan to transport rice to the two countries.
The trend in rice export from land routes has tremendously increased during the last three years as in 2003 this trade was hardly 50,000 tons, which has now crossed 0.5 million tons.
Quetta has become the hub of trade activities between Pakistan and the neighbouring countries including Iran, Afghanistan, Central Asian Republics and even many other items are being exported to Iraq through land route from Balochistan.
Quetta based traders are playing a very active role in increasing the country's exports through these routes and export figures are increasing every passing day.
Jamaluddin, a leading Quetta-based rice exporter and Managing Director of Khojak Trading Company, told Business Recorder that Quetta rice exporters are playing a very vital role to increase Pakistan's exports by their individual efforts. He said that most of these exporters are uneducated and do not have the know-how about the country's export policy.
Abdul Majeed, Chairman, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, (Reap) said that a Reap zonal office is being set up in Quetta to facilitate the local exporters and provide them necessary information regarding foreign trade.
An eight-member Reap delegation, led by Abdul Majeed, would visit Quetta soon to review the difficulties being faced by the rice exporters regarding trade through land routes to Iran, Afghanistan and beyond.