February 26, 2003	Wednesday	Zul Hijjah 24, 1423

KARACHI, Feb 25: Bangladesh has cut import duty on rice from 29 per cent to 7.5 per cent. The move has been made to encourage the imports in order to meet domestic shortage resulted out of short crop.

The National Revenue Board of Bangladesh on the directive of prime minister Begum Khalida Zia, has reduced the import duty, which was imposed last year to protect the local crop.

Appreciating the move, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) chairman Abdul Rahim Janoo said this would enable Pakistani rice exporters to get their market share in Bangladesh.

He said that about two years back, Bangladesh was one of the largest buyers of Pakistani Irri-6 rice, with annual import of more than 55,000 tons.

Janoo said this decision would be instrumental in boosting the exports of Pakistani rice, specially Irri-6, which is already known and acceptable to the consumers.