0.25 million tons rice to be exported to China

Pakistan will export about 0.25 million tons rice to China under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal), government of Pakistan and the General Administration of Quality Supervision4 Inspection and Quarantine (Aqsiq) of Peoples Republic of China on April 5.
This was stated in a meeting between the representatives of Aqsiq and Minfal held under the chairmanship of Punjab Agriculture Marketing Minister Rana Qasim Noon at a local hotel on Sunday.
Federal Minfal Secretary Ismail Qureshi, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) Chairman Najaf Hussain Shah, Rice Commissioner of government of Pakistan and representatives of Export Promotion Bureau were also present on the occasion.
The four-member Chinese delegation was led by Bia Zhanghong with Liang Ningming, Zhoa Wenjun and Xion Xianjun of Aqsiq.
The meeting was informed that the MoU will remain valid for a period of two years, and will be extended automatically for a period of two years unless terminated.
Bia Zhanghong informed the meeting that Pakistani Basmati Rice, due to its peculiar taste, aroma and high quality, is highly liked by the Chinese people, and there is vast opportunity of export of Pakistani rice to China.
He asked the Pak exporters to ponder over export of rice to China. The meeting was informed that about one million tons of rice is currently being exported to China from different countries annually.
Najaf Hussain Shah informed the meeting that Pakistan has surpassed the 655 million tons annual rice export target by exporting one million tons rice in a year.
The Chinese delegation was informed that fumigation certificate is first issued by the private sector and then again by the Government of Pakistan fulfilling the requirements of the international plant protection standards.
Minfal shall enforce the requirements of this protocol in the inspection of the rice and shall certify that the rice exported to China is free from the quarantine pests, the meeting was informed.
According to a handout, the Chinese delegation expressed their satisfaction over the inspection, and said that they would submit a positive report to their government.
They also praised the standard of rice processing units of Lahore, and hoped that the rice trade between China and Pakistan would be further expanded.
On the occasion, Rana Qasim Noon presented gifts to the Chinese delegation.