Pakistan to export 2.5 lakh tons of rice to China
Pakistan Times Business & Commerce Desk

LAHORE: Pakistan will export about 2.5 lakhs ton rice to China under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Pakistan's Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) of Peoples Republic of China in April last.

This was stated in a meeting between the representatives of AQSIQ and MINFAL held under the Chairmanship of Punjab Minister for Agriculture Marketing Rana Qasim Noon.

Federal Secretary MINFAL Ismail Qureshi, Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan Barrister Najaf Hussain Shah, Rice Commissioner of government of Pakistan and representatives of Export Promotion Bureau were also present on the occasion.

The 4-member Chinese side was led by Bia Zhanghong with Liang Mingming, Zhoa Wenjun and Xion Xianjun of AQSIQ. The meeting was informed that the MoU would remain valid for a period of two years and be extended automatically for periods of two years unless terminated.

Bia Zhanghong informed the meeting that Pakistani Basmati Rice, due to its peculiar taste, aroma and high quality, is highly liked by the Chinese people and there is vast opportunity of export of Pakistani rice to China.

He asked the Pakistani exporters to ponder over export of Pakistani rice to China. The meeting was informed that about 1 million ton rice is currently being exported to China from different countries annually.

Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan, Barrister Najaf Hussain Shah informed the meeting that Pakistan has surpassed the 655 million ton annual rice export target by exporting 1 million ton rice in a year.

The Chinese delegation was informed that fumigation certificate is first issued by private sector and then again by the government of Pakistan fulfilling the requirements of the International Plant Protection Standards. The MINFAL shall enforce the requirements of this protocol in the inspection of the rice and shall certify that the rice exported to China is free from the quarantine pests, the meeting informed.

The Chinese delegation expressed their satisfaction over the inspection, saying they would submit a positive report to their government. They also praised the standard of rice processing units of Lahore and hoped that the rice trade between China and Pakistan would be further expanded. On the occasion, Minister for Agriculture Marketing, Rana Qasim Noon presented gifts to the Chinese delegation.●