Rice exports from Pakistan have seen posted notable growth of 29 percent during the first nine months of this fiscal year (FY18). Pakistan has exported total 2.95 million metric tons rice during July-March of FY18 compared to 2.53 million metric tons in same period of last fiscal year, showing an increase of 17 percent.
In term of value, overall rice exports surged to $1.412 billion in first nine months of this fiscal year compared to $1.09 billion in corresponding period of last fiscal year, depicting a significant growth of 29 percent.
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) senior vice chairman Rafique Suleman has expressed pleasure and said Pakistan rice trade have come out of the three-year crisis. "With the coordination of REAP Office Bearers with Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and Customs, value of rice export is showing improvement which is a good sign for our country", he added. He said REAP members are also putting their untiring efforts and aggressive marketing to increase the rice exports and to earn valuable foreign exchange for the country.
Rafique informed that REAP is continually sending trade delegation to various countries for the forceful marketing of Pakistani rice. In this regard, a delegation is currently on a visit to Iran, which is very lucrative and potential market for Basmati rice. Few years back Pakistan was exporting huge quantity of rice to Iran, however, since last year, we can only export up to One lac tons of rice, he added.
Kenya is the largest buyer of Pakistani non basmati rice and during nine months of this fiscal year (July to Mar 2018) we have exported 342,000 Metric Tons of rice amounting to $122 million. In addition, China is the 2nd largest destination for Pakistani non basmati rice. As at the end of March 2018, we have exported 270,000 Metric tons of rice valuing $99 million.
REAP SVP briefed that right now international demand for rice has been increased around the globe. "We are happy to inform that this year we had a very good crop in terms of quality and quantity. Further, prices of Pakistani rice are comparatively cheaper than our competitors, Thailand, Vietnam etc. which is also in our favour", he added. Rafique expressed with pleasure that recently Indonesian state own body, BULOG has floated a tender for the procurement of rice and (8) Pakistani rice exporters were successful to supply 50,000 Metric Tons and in result we will be able to fetch approx $22.625 million value able foreign exchange for our beloved country Pakistan.
He informed that Indian rice is being banned by EU countries due to the excess limit of pesticide residue and Pakistani rice exporters are taking advantage of this and hopefully export of Pakistani Brown rice will be increased with remarkable ratio.