Prime Minister Mohammadmian Soomro has called a meeting on Thursday in Islamabad to discuss various issues related to rice trade. It is expected that important decisions will be taken in this meeting to achieve rice export target to overcome the present price hike of rice in the local market and to find out ways to improve the quality of seed of rice to get better yield.
It is also expected that both Rice Research Institutes (at Kala shah Kaku and Dokri) will be directed to give required results. It is likely that ''Reap'' representatives would also be put on these institutes'' boards.
All related federal ministers, secretaries and other officials have been called to attend the meeting for quick disposal of issues and to find immediate results. A delegation of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap), led by Abdul Rahim Janoo, will also attend the meeting. The delegation will comprise the current chairman, vice chairman, and members of Reap managing committee.
The Reap delegation will make a presentation on ''Rice Trade - A Science Under Development'' for consideration of the Prime Minister and to address the current situation of rice trade, future planning and solving the problems and to bring improvement in the rice industry of Pakistan.
The main objective and purpose of this meeting is to make decision on the spot, for which the Prime Minister has called all related federal ministers and secretaries of all concern federal ministries for quick disposal and results.
The meeting will discuss steps to be taken to increase and achieve the targets fixed by the government and Reap itself for rice export. The meeting will review steps to overcome the present price hike of rice, for better results of rice export and to give relief to common men and people of the country. The meeting will find out ways to improve the quality of seed of Pakistan rice of different varieties to compete internationally in quality and in price for better and more foreign exchange to Pakistan.
It will also consider steps for more and more research work for improvement and getting better yield of rice crops. The Reap will suggest that State Bank of Pakistan be persuaded to control non-performing facilities and advances. More emphasis will be put on SMEs rural businessmen for rice exports to change the culture of villages.
Janoo is optimistic that the meeting would be definitely result-oriented and would play a major role in the rice trade of Pakistan as government''s business friendly policies have pushed the rice exports from $325 million to $1.5 billion and probably $2 billion in the current fiscal year.