Rice trade: Formation of development board proposed

Rice exports have stagnated at $2bn per annum mainly due to lack of research and development work on new varieties

KARACHI:

The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has urged the federal government to constitute a rice development board, which will serve as a single platform to address the issues concerning the industry.

FPCCI Senior Vice President Abdul Rahim Janoo, in a letter to Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan and Federal Minister of Food Security and Research Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan, said this would help promote different rice varieties, especially the unique basmati rice as well as regular paddy.

“Rice exports have stagnated at $2 billion per annum mainly due to lack of research and development work on new varieties that yield more at lower costs and are acceptable in the global market,” Janoo said, adding competitors had come up with such products due to market-oriented and demand-driven research in consultation with all stakeholders.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th,  2015.

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