REAP urges government to help promote rice exports

Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) has urged federal government for special measurers for the rice trade to enhance its exports up to $4 billion mark. While addressing the REAP Award ceremony on Saturday in Karachi, senior vice chairman Rafique Suleman said despite the fact that rice is second highest foreign exchange earned sector, it is being neglected by the government authorities. President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussain was chief guest of the ceremony, while attended by leading rice exporters.
He said REAP leadership has fixed a target of some $4 billion rice export in the next five years and accordingly need support from the government side. Suleman presented various suggestions and proposals for the betterment of rice trade and urged the government to grant the 'status of industry' to the rice trade as it is being exported after value addition through a processing procedure.
He said rice export is facing several challenges from the last few years due to lower commodity price in the world market. Although, some improvement has been witnessed during this fiscal year and rice exports posted some surge, however, still need government support to earn more foreign exchange for the country.
"Our farmers are facing high cost of production due to costly pesticides and diesel prices. They even don't have proper storage facility of which hundreds of tons rice is being waste every year", he added. Suleman proposed subsidy on agricultural inputs such as seed, water, diesel, electricity, besides measurers to enhance the per acre yield. "Water and seeds should be provided free of cost to the growers to attract them for rice cultivation", he added.
He said the government had announced Rs 180 billion relief package for the textile sector "Rice is also facing some issues, therefore, a relief package should announced for the rice trade", he demanded. REAP Senior vice chairman also raised the issue of formal banking channel with Iran and said Iran is one of the largest rice importing country with over one million tons rice import annually.
However, despite the lifting of US sanctions, banking channel between Pakistan and Iran has not yet restored, of which Pakistan exporters are unable to directly export to Iran, he added. Suleman said government should also take some measurers to motivate the commercial secretaries to work for the rice trade. He also demanded removal of import duty on agricultural equipments.