KARACHI, Dec 2: A bumper rice crop at 4.9 million tons coupled with higher value-addition in exports has brightened the prospects of fetching record export earnings up to $625 million during the current crop season starting from November 1, 2003.

According to official figures, the country was poised to harvest higher production of rice by around 0.6 million tons to 4.9 million tons during the current season (2003-04), showing an increase of about 14 per cent, over last year’s output of 4.3 million tons.

The country last year earned a record foreign exchange of $555 million on export of 1.7 million tons of rice. But enhanced production and higher value-addition have ensured fetching of more foreign exchange earnings through rice exports this season.

Rice exporters are confident to earn around $625 million on export of around two million tons of rice this year. The rice export figures as well as foreign exchange earning of the last four months indicate the country will be achieving the desired results.

The value-addition in rice export increased by 28 per cent, while the production improved by around 60,000 tons during the July-October period. However, the exporters feel that much could have been achieved had there been proper planning in cultivation of rice varieties.

Former Pakistan Rice Exporters Association (REAP) chairman Abdul Rahim Janoo told Dawn that if both the production and value-addition in rice export kept their present pace rice exports in the next four to five years would be joining the elite club of “$1 billion.”

However, Union of Small and Medium Enterprises convener Zulfikar Thaver said that if the ministry of agriculture put more efforts “we can have much better results”. Besides higher production, he said, ‘aromatic rice’ could be produced in all the four provinces to earn higher foreign exchange.

Citing an example, he said there was more cultivation of super Basmati, whereas one could not deny the fact that 385 (Basmati) also held good ground and had great demand in the world market. Fortunately, he said there was more cultivation of D198 this season, which is also aromatic rice and could be exported in place of 385 variety.

He said the important role of the rice commissioner of the ministry of agriculture was totally lacking and the growers were not getting proper guidance to improve their quality as well as select proper rice varieties for cultivation.

The official figures showed that rice production in Punjab is expected to be higher by 15 per cent to 2.778 million tons, over the estimated target of 2.417 million tons. Out of this quantity, Basmati production would be 2.212 million tons, whereas Irri and other varieties would be 0.566 million tons.

Similarly, Sindh is also going to have higher production at 1.497 million tons, showing around nine per cent rise over the estimated target of 1.375 million tons. Sindh entirely produces Irri-6 variety. However, for the last two years the growers have successfully cultivated ‘aromatic rice’ but the quantity was still limited at around 0.5 million tons.

There is a negligible quantity of rice production in NWFP, which is estimated to be around 135,000 tons. Balochistan is expected to produce around 0.461 million tons of rice this year.

It is also encouraging that during the current cultivation season area as well as per hectare yield of paddy rice increased in almost all the provinces, and this was mainly owing to availability of more water because of recent rains. After witnessing sharp fall in recent years due to shortage of irritation water the rice crop seems to have once again started to improve.