Industry seeks favourable policies for rice export

Emphasis on government, private sector coordination.

LAHORE: Rice exporters have called on the government to assist the industry through formulation of new policies.

At a special training programme for 34 newly inducted officers of the Commerce and Trade Group, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) Vice Chairman Taufiq Ahmed Khan said that the rice industry made record exports in 2009-10 by enhancing shipments to 4.6 million tons. However, Khan said that meeting export orders has become an uphill task for the rice industry due to limited resources. He stressed that shortages of gas and electricity have harmed the rice sector, reducing its production and exports and acknowledged that traders were far behind the actual export target for the current year.

He also highlighted the issues faced by Reap members and emphasised the importance of friendly relations between the government and the private sector in order to promote trade. The rice industry is the second largest trade body in the country and has earned huge foreign exchange by exporting Basmati rice – famous all over the world for its aroma – to 120 countries.

Khan also called on the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan to play a vital role in the issue and chalk out programmes such as exhibitions to increase trade.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th,  2011.