ISLAMABAD: Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Industries andProduction, Textile and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood on Monday said ricewas the largest agro-export commodity in the country’s export basket with atotal volume of over $2 billion, which will be increased to $5 billion inthe next five years.
He said this during a meeting with a Rice Exports Association of Pakistan(REAP) delegation, led by its president Syed Almas Hyder to chalk outpolicy proposals in order to enhance the commodity’s export.
The adviser appreciated all the proposals of REAP and ensured fullcooperation of the Ministry of Commerce in that regard.
He advised the delegation to introduce new varieties of rice to enhanceproduction and quality by investing in research and development.
All bottlenecks in rice export would be removed with effective coordinationand cooperation among all the relevant ministries and departments, heassured.
The adviser said rice export to China and Indonesia was on an upwardtrajectory due to additional market access secured by the currentgovernment in those countries.
Read Top Stories
Razak said the government intended to take the exports to the highest levelever and for that purpose it was taking different measures to reclaimtraditional markets besides accessing new ones.
The REAP president appreciated the current government’s endeavors forboosting exports of traditional and non-traditional products.
The REAP delegation presented various proposals for achieving the envisagedtarget, which included better farm practices, higher yields through watermanagement, mechanical transplanting, drying and storage and BMR ofexisting rice mills.
The REAP office-bearers assured that the rice would be exported as perquality and standard to the markets like Iran, Qatar and China whereadditional market access had recently been gained by Pakistan.
