Karachi—The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has urged the government to extend support to rice exporters to compete with India which has lifted duty as well as ban on rice export. President UNISAME, Zulfikar Thaver said here Wednesday that Indian government has lifted ban on export of PUSA 1121 variety and has categorized it as basmati rice due to its length and slenderness although it lacks aroma of basmati which is a definite requirement.
He alleged that India was exporting 1121 as basmati rice and is indulging in disrespect of the basmati standard specifications. Thaver pointed out that India has harvested a good crop this year and it is contemplating to lift ban on long grain rice such as Permal, Sharbati and other non basmati rice which are currently banned for exports.
India is also removing export duty of $ 200 per metric ton on basmati. This will make Pakistani rice as uncompetitive in the international market and, therefore, we should act fast and remove impediments, he added. He said India has also lowered the minimum export price (MEP) to enable exporters compete in the international markets.
It is the need of the hour that the Ministry of Commerce should take steps to lower the prices by arranging rice supplies to exporters by PASSCO from the procured grain. At the same time, the government should withdraw Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) from procuring or tendering to procure rice from the millers or growers as this would increase the prices in the market.—APP
Source : Pakistan Observer