Commerce Minister Calls for Boosting Rice Exports, Meeting EU Food Safety Standards 

Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan on Monday emphasized the need to increase Pakistan’s rice exports and ensure compliance with European food safety standards, citing the country’s 25 percent share of the European rice export market.  The minister’s remarks came during a meeting with the representative of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP).  Khan said Pakistan holds 25 percent of the European rice export market compared to India’s 16 percent. To maintain this competitive edge, he stressed the need for collaboration between the government and exporters.  Rice exports play a vital role in Pakistan’s economy, ranking second in export value after cotton. Rice exporters are a primary source of revenue and employment, with the government aiming to increase 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.  Malik Faisal Jahangir, Chairman of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), said that Pakistan’s rice exports face fewer regulatory challenges, with only 74 Rapid Alerts for pesticides were issued last year, compared to 264 for India.   Pakistan remains one of the lowest-risk countries concerning food safety standards. However, Jahangir expressed concern over potential harm to Pakistan’s export reputation from negative campaigns.  The commerce minister stressed educating farmers to improve rice production quality and reduce alerts. He called for a joint effort by stakeholders to develop a five-year strategy enhancing Pakistan’s rice export capacity and compliance with international standards.  He urged REAP to propose actionable suggestions for achieving the government’s export targets within the next year, emphasizing the importance of addressing food safety concerns, especially in the European Union, where standards are becoming increasingly stringent.