Commerce Minister Calls for Boosting Rice Exports, Meeting EU Food Safety Standards
Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan emphasized the importance of increasing Pakistan’s rice exports and ensuring compliance with European food safety standards. His remarks came during a meeting with the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), highlighting Pakistan’s 25 percent share of the European rice export market, compared to India’s 16 percent.
Collaboration for Competitive Edge
Minister Khan underscored the need for collaboration between the government and exporters to maintain Pakistan’s competitive edge in the European market. He noted that rice exports are crucial to Pakistan’s economy, ranking second in export value after cotton. The government aims to increase rice exports from $4 billion to $6-7 billion in the near future.
“We are focusing on improving our standards to meet international food safety requirements, especially in Europe,” Khan added.
Food Safety and Regulatory Challenges
Malik Faisal Jahangir, Chairman of REAP, pointed out that Pakistan faces fewer regulatory challenges compared to India, with only 74 Rapid Alerts for pesticides issued last year, compared to India’s 264. Despite being one of the lowest-risk countries regarding food safety standards, Jahangir expressed concerns about the potential harm to Pakistan’s export reputation from negative campaigns.
Enhancing Production Quality
The commerce minister stressed the importance of educating farmers to improve rice production quality and reduce the number of alerts. He called for a joint effort by stakeholders to develop a five-year strategy to enhance Pakistan’s rice export capacity and ensure compliance with international standards.
Strategic Goals and Actionable Suggestions
Minister Khan urged REAP to propose actionable suggestions to achieve the government’s export targets within the next year. He emphasized the importance of addressing food safety concerns, particularly in the European Union, where standards are becoming increasingly stringent.
By focusing on improving food safety standards and collaborating with exporters, Pakistan aims to bolster its rice export market and maintain its competitive edge globally.
