Rice exporters seek a share in incentive package

Rice exporters have urged the federal government to give them due share in Rs 180 billion incentive package announced for the export sector being the second largest export commodity after textile and placing Pakistan in the top five rice exporting countries of the world.
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) Senior Vice Chairman Shahjahan Malik while talking to Business Recorder, here on Saturday said their association is the second largest export trade body in the country which is exporting rice of US two billion dollars per annum. Nevertheless, he regretted that they are not being given due importance and weight by the government.
"We are not even recognised as an industry and we want our sector to be given due share in the export incentive package to achieve further heights and more precious foreign exchange for the country," Shahjahan said.
Pakistan being an agro-based economy has natural abundance of all agricultural products including food items. Rice is the third largest crop after wheat and cotton which is grown over 10 percent of the total cropped area. Rice is highly valued cash crop and it accounts for 6.7 percent in value added in agriculture and 1.6 percent in GDP. Pakistan grows enough high quality rice to meet both domestic demand and allow for exports of around one million ton per annum, he added.
Malik further said that the government should extend 5 to 7 percent rebate to the rice exporters like textile exporters and hoped that it will make a 15 percent increase in the rice exports. He also urged the government to declare import of rice procession machinery zero rated to help this sector get a boost.
To a question, he said that we sat together to review this incentive package and had devised an action plan to make intensive lobbying in the government circles to get something from this export package. "We have invited the Minister of Commerce to sit with us and listen to the issues of rice export sector. We will also be contacting the Federal Finance Minister to listen to our plight and get recognition for this sector as an industry," he averred.
Regarding the export situation, Shahjahan said though he does not have complete statistics but export of Basmati has shown a 20 percent increase in the month of December as compared to the same month of the corresponding period.