Govt eyes Philippine rice tenders to offload surplus

Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan has sought enhanced rice exports to the Philippines during a meeting with Philippine Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Emmanuel R Fernandez, held on the special directions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

According to an official statement issued on Friday, the commerce minister conveyed the prime minister's interest in identifying priority markets for Pakistan's rice exports and requested the Philippine government to consider additional procurement from Pakistan. He said Pakistan currently has surplus rice stocks, supported by strong agricultural output and consistent quality standards.

Khan noted that the return of major global suppliers has intensified price competition. He said Pakistan has developed a mechanism to ensure benchmark price competitiveness, including financial bridging where required, to remain competitive while assuring quality and quantity. He added that closer price alignment could expand bilateral rice trade through institutional coordination.

The minister informed the ambassador that the Philippines has been identified as a key partner country for rice exports, particularly ahead of upcoming procurement tenders, stressing the need for timely coordination.

Ambassador Fernandez welcomed Pakistan's outreach, noting that Pakistan remains among the top three rice suppliers to the Philippines and has potential to increase its market share. He said rice trade would be a priority agenda item at the Pakistan–Philippines Joint Economic Commission session expected in February.

Both sides reviewed progress on a draft MoU for multi-year government-to-government rice procurement, with technical teams coordinating ahead of tenders.