Pakistan rice export, for the first time in the country''s history, has crossed $1.1 billion mark as over 2.8 million tonnes of rice has been exported to different countries up to June 3.
According to figures available here the formal export of Basmati rice, setting a new record, has reached to 802,511 metric tonnes during this period while the land rout trade of Basmati via Balochistan and Peshawar was 0.1 million tonnes. The formal and informal border trade of Irri-6 variety of rice has crossed 1.9 million metric tonnes up to June 03, 2006.
Haji Abdul Majeed, Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) while talking to Business Recorder here on Saturday said that the value of both varieties exported up to June 03, 2006 was $1.100 billion.
He said that it is expected that the export of Basmati rice would reach 0.9 million and the total rice export would cross $1.2 billion target, set by the REAP, by the end of this month.
He said that due to a bumper crop, value addition and exploration of new markets for Pakistani rice by the rice exporters, the export of this commodity crossed the $1 billion mark this year.
He added that this is a tremendous achievement of the rice exporters who made it possible. The positive economic policies of the present government and hard work by the ministry of commerce and the commerce minister are some other reasons to increase the country''s exports. He also lauded the co-operation of the Export Promotion Bureau and other concerned government departments for their co-operation with the exporters.
Pakistan''s total rice export was recorded at $933 million during the last fiscal year of 2004-05. The total rice production was over 5.5 million tonnes in the country in the current crop season, out of which around 2.7 million tonnes was Irri-6 variety while the same quantity of Basmati variety of rice was produced in the country.
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