ISLAMABAD: Rice exports from the country during month of November 2020 registered about 14.44 percent growth as compared to the exports of the corresponding month of last year.

During month of November, 2020, country earned $231.238 million by exporting about 458,104 metric tons of rice as against the exports of 452,010 metric tons $202.065 million tons of same months of last year.

Meanwhile, exports of Basmati rice during the period under review grew by 36.06 percent as about 78,160 metric tons of above mentioned commodity worth $76.583 million exported as compared the exports of 61,054 metric tons valuing $56.288 million of same period last year, according the data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.

During the period under review about 397,944 metric tons of rice comprising on other verities worth $154.656 million also exported as compared the exports of 390,956 metric tons valuing $145.777 million of same month of last year, it added.

However, the exports of rice from the country during last 05 months of current financial year registered negative growth of 12.58 percent as compared the exports of corresponding period of last year.

Rice exports during the period from July-November, 2020-21 was recorded at 1,340,770 metric tons, which was stood at 1,628,295 metric tons in same period of last year.

It is worth mentioning here that country harvested bumper rice crop during last season which provided ample opportunities to fetch huge foreign exchange by exporting it to international markets.

During Kharif Season 2020-21, local rice output witnessed about 11.43 percent growth as over 8.18 million tons of rice produced during the season by cultivating the crop over 3.3 million hectares during the season.

Meanwhile, rice production in Punjab witnessed 20.27% growth during the season, where as in Sindh it was decreased by 3.24%, however, rice production in KPK increased by 0.77%, while rice production in Balochistan increased by 2% respectively.