rice exports up 13 percent: July – Oct

The country’s rice exports increased by 13 percent during the period from July 1 to October 18 of the current fiscal year as compared to the corresponding period last year. According to figures available here, the country’s rice exports increased to 852,425MT worth $477.200 million in the period from July to October 18, 2010 as compared to 762,771MT worth $422.707 million exported during the corresponding period in 2009.

The figure shows that the quantity of rice exports increased by 12 percent while value increased by 13 percent in this period. The average unit price also increased to $560 in this period against $554 in the same period last year. Out of total figures, the exports of basmati rice variety increased to 294,629MT worth $245.523 million during the current fiscal year as compared to 255,922MT worth $220.897 million exported during the same period in 2009.

The exports of non-basmati variety increased to 557,796MT worth $231.677 million in this period against 506,849MT worth $201.809 million rice of this variety exported in the same period last year. Irfan Ahmed Sheikh, Chairman, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) said that increasing figures of rice exports show the long lasting efforts of the local exporters. “We tried to explore new markets around the globe to increase our exports,” he said. “We are also making our efforts to increase our market share in the existing markets.”

He pointed out that 12 percent increase in quantity of rice exports and 13 percent rise in the value of this commodity helped rice exports jump to this level. He noted that rice exports increased by 89,654MT worth $54.493 million in almost three months this year as compared with the same period last year.

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