KARACHI: Rice exports of the country has increased by 29 percent in terms of value during the period of July 2017 to March 2018 in comparison to the same period of the previous fiscal year.

Senior Vice Chairman, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), Rafique Suleman, in a statement here on Tuesday, said this year, total 2.95 million metric tons of Rice amounting to $ 1.412 billion, whereas in the same period of last year the volume was 2.53 million metric tons that amounted to $.1.09 billion.

He said the REAP members were putting their untiring efforts to increase the rice exports and to earn more foreign exchange for the country.

He said the REAP had been sending trade delegations to various countries for aggressive marketing for Rice. At present, a REAP delegation was on visit to Iran, which was very and potential market for Basmati rice.

He said Kenya was the largest buyer of Pakistani non -Basmati rice and during last nine months, Pakistan exported 342,000 metric tons of rice amounting to $ 122 million.

He also mentioned that China was the 2nd largest destination for Pakistani non- Basmati rice. From July 2017 to March 2018, 270,000 metric tons of rice valuing $ 99 million was exported.