ISLAMABAD, Feb 5: A meeting has been convened on February 19 in the commerce ministry to finalize the setting up of Pakistan Rice Board (PRB), an official source has said.

The meeting would be chaired by Commerce Minister, Humayun Akhtar Khan and attended by representative of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) and proposed members of the board.

According to the official, during the meeting the appointment of the chairman of PRB along with other issues would be finalized.

The possible nominee for the chairmanship was former Punjab Chief Secretary, Pervez Saleem. Earlier, the ex-secretary general finance, Moin Afzal was asked to take over as a chairman but he declined the offer.

The government had annouced the establishment of PRB in November 2002 last which was yet to be finalized.

The PRB, which would be an autonomous body composed of 18 members with its chairman from the private sector attached with ministry of commerce representing stakeholders in the value chain of rice-millers, exporters, growers, federal and provincial government, said the official.

Elaborating the functions of the board, the official said that it would hold exhibitions in the country and abroad. It would also chalk out market access plan to enhance the export of the commodity.

The board would encourage and facilitate the growers to “grow for exports”, provision of commercial intelligence to producers and exporters, provision of facilities for settlement of disputes relating to and arising from trade transactions and to arrange and attend trade exhibitions/trade delegations/fairs within the country or abroad.

The board would also arrange and provide export services, expertise in rice trade, undertake study of international markets to facilitate trade and to undertake publicity campaigns nationally and internationally.