All stakeholders of rice trade, including growers, millers, and exporters, should work together to achieve $2.3 billion rice export target this year. This was stated by Senate Chairman Mohammadmian Soomro at a reception organised by Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) Chairman Abdul Rahim Janoo here.
Soomro said that the country's rice exports were facing a big challenge to achieve its target due to the bumper crop of rice globally. "We all should work together, in national interest, and try to earn more foreign exchange for the betterment of the nation", he said, and added: "We should also look into the issues of our growers and try to resolve their problems".
He said that the growers should be equipped with latest technology and machinery to get healthy yield and to increase the country's exports. He assured his full support in solving the problems regarding rice export. Janoo said that Reap never forgets its supporters.
He said that rice exporters intended to hold a grand function in honour of the Senate Chairman and would present him a gold medal on his patronage due to which Reap had done tremendous rice export of $2.20 billion in the fiscal year 2007-08. He announced that Soomro "is the Chief Patron of Reap" and his support in solving the issues regarding rice exports was remarkable.
Haroon Rashid, Vice Chairman of Reap, also admired him and said: "we always value his services whether he will be in the chair or otherwise. Amjad Nazir Butt, Member, Reap Managing Committee, said that a function would also be organised in Punjab for Mohammadmian Soomro very soon.
Leading rice exporters and Reap members, including Abdul Rauf Chappal, Mehboob Paracha, Shamsul Islam Khan, Rafiq Suleman, Khwaja Aamir, Rauf Chappal, Safdar Makhari and others attended the event and thanked the Senate Chairman for his support. -PR