The Managing Committee of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) will elect the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the association on September 17.
The Chairman would be elected from the South Zone and the Vice Chairman from the North Zone as laid down in the Articles of Association that the seats of the Chairman and Vice Chairman is to from the North and South Zone alternatively.
The South Zone Group has nominated Haji Abdul Majeed as its candidate and the United Group has nominated Chaudhry Farooq as its candidate.
There is going to be a tough fight as both are leading rice exporters and have their supporters in the Managing Committee, which comprises of 15 members from the South Zone and 15 members from the North Zone.
To stand victorious the candidates would have to acquire 16 votes at least.
The rice exporters are keen that persons of calibre and vision should be elected to revamp the trade body considering the fact that rice is the second major export item and the vast sector growers, millers, processors, exporters and intermediary vendors.
Although the trade body is a representative body of exporters only yet it is directly and indirectly affected by the stakeholders.
The newly elected Chairman will face major issues such as the reunification of the members from the north and south zones who had drifted apart due to differences created by vested interest who followed the divide and rule theory.
The other issue confronting the association is the promotion of the Sindh varieties, which are becoming popular. The trade leaders are now looking forward to follow the manifesto declared by each one of the groups for the betterment of the rice trade if elected.-PR