0
LAHORE, June 26: Pakistan will export about 2.5 lakh ton rice to China under a memorandum of understanding this year. This was stated at a meeting between representatives of the Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and the Minfal held under the chairmanship of Agriculture Marketing Minister Rana Qasim Noon here on Sunday.
Minfal secretary Ismail Qureshi, Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan chairman Barrister Najaf Husain Shah, the Rice Commissioner of Pakistan and representatives of the Export Promotion Bureau were also present on the occasion.
The four-member Chinese side was led by Bia Zhanghong with Liang Mingming, Zhoa Wenjun and Xion Xianjun of AQSIQ.
The meeting was informed that the MoU would remain valid for a period of two years, and would be extended automatically for periods of two years unless terminated by both sides.
Bia Zhanghong said Pakistani Basmati, owing to its peculiar taste, aroma and high quality, was liked by the Chinese, and there was a vast opportunity of its export to China. He asked Pakistani exporters to ponder over the export of rice to China. The meeting was informed that about one million ton rice was currently being exported to China from different countries.
Barrister Najaf Husain said Pakistan had surpassed the 655 million ton annual export target by exporting one million ton rice in a year.
The Chinese delegation was informed that a fumigation certificate was first issued by the private sector and then by the Pakistan government fulfilling requirements of the International Plant Protection Standards.
The Minfal would enforce the requirements of this protocol in the inspection of the rice and certify that the rice exported to China was free from the quarantine pests.
The Chinese team, expressing satisfaction over the inspection process, said they would submit a positive report to their government. They also praised the standard of rice processing units of Lahore, and hoped that the rice trade between the two countries would be further increased.
