Pakistani rice prices remained firm during the past week on steady demand from exporters, but dealers said they could ease slightly next month on increased supplies from farms.
"Prices are firm because of the export orders from Sri Lanka and Kenya," Rahim Janoo, a leading rice dealer in the port city of Karachi, told Reuters.
Kenya is a traditional market for Pakistan's IRRI-6 variety of rice, but Sri Lanka is importing the commodity because of its own low crop this season, dealers said.
Janoo said around 20,000 tonnes of rice export orders had been booked for Sri Lanka, and around 25,000 tonnes for Kenya.
"We expect our rice exports to be higher this year because of the depreciation of the rupee against the dollar," he said.
Pakistan rupee has shed more than 3.6 percent against the dollar since July 1 - the start of its fiscal 2004/05.
Analysts say the depreciation of the rupee would make Pakistani exports more competitive and was a good news for rice exporters.
Dealers said supplies from farms slowed because of the Muslim fasting month of Ramazan that started in Pakistan on Saturday.
They expect supplies to increase in the third week of November after the Muslim festival of Eid-al Fitr which marks the end of the fasting month.
Government officials have said Pakistan's 2003/04 rice output is likely to be more than 4.6 million tonnes, compared with four million last year, leaving more than 2.4 million tonnes for export.
Pakistan's crop year runs from April to November. Sowing normally starts in mid-April and the main harvest begins in September, peaking in October.
Traders quoted FOB prices for IRRI-6 variety at $230/232 - slightly higher that a week earlier.