LAHORE: Rice Research & Development Board Punjab has recommended the government to devise some strong banking system to facilitate Pak-Iran rice export as being proposed by the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP).

The recommendation was given at the 20th meeting of the Board held recently at the Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku with Board's Chairman Shahzad Ali Malik in the chair.

It may be mentioned here that REAP in a recent meeting with the PM Advisor on Commerce had requested to form a working group on issue of export to Iran as trade between two countries can give a quantum jump to rice exports.

The meeting discussed rice crop situation in the province and it was told that area under cultivation for 2021-22 is 6.7 percent higher than previous year while production is also being tipped as higher as overall health of crop is satisfactory.

According to the minutes of the meeting, Chief Scientists (Rice) Muhammad Rafiq also said that pest and disease attack remained under control during the current season. Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) Chairman Ali Hussam Asghar while addressing the meeting announced attractive incentives for rice breeders for the development of new rice variety acceptable to rice stakeholders.

However, Ali Hussam and Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) Chairman Shoukat Ali Chaddhar showed concern regarding establishment of the centre of excellence of rice without farmers/exporters consent under government's agri-transformation plan, the minutes added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021