Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) reacting to information of a ban on export of all edible items by Pakistan, has urged the Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFS&R) not to apply this ban on rice exports.
In a letter to the Federal Minister MNFS&R Syed Fakhar Imam, REAP Chairman Shahjahan Malik said that they had come to know that the federal cabinet has banned export of all edible items.
'It will be quite unwise, mars our national image and will be anti-business move to ban rice exports even for two weeks. Rice is not Pakistan's staple food. We produced 7.5 million tons of rice this year
and our domestic consumption is only 2.9 million tons per annum,' Shahjahan added.
He further said that 0.6 million tons is needed for preparing feed for poultry feed, 0.8 million tons were carried over from last year. So Pakistan this year was surplus by 4.8 million tons. So far, Pakistan has exported 3.1 million tons in 9 months till March 31.
REAP Chairman further said that new crop will start in mid of May to July 15 and it will be available after four and half months. 'We are left with 2.1 million tons at the moment.
Till the arrival of new crop, in next five months we need only 0.9 million tons. It definitely means we are surplus by almost 1.2 million tons of rice,' he added.
He said that rice exports were earning US$ 2.2 billion annually for the country and Pakistan had always been a responsible state and never banned rice exports even in worst crises of 2007/2008 when even India put a ban.
Advocating his demand, REAP Chairman asked the federal minister to have a meeting with exporters to listen to their case and take an appropriate decision in this regard.
Meanwhile, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan at a meeting held at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) on Wednesday protested against Cabinet's decision to ban export of all edible has urged the government to withdraw the decision immediately otherwise it would hit the economy hard.
President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry Mian Anjum Nisar, LCCI Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar, Chairman REAP Shah Jahan Malik, Pir Syed Nazim Hussain Shah
and others spoke on the occasion.
They demanded of the government to withdraw the decision immediately that is bound to play havoc with the Rice sector of Pakistan besides eating up employment of millions of people.