Pakistan’s 2011-12 rice exports to China at 800,000 T
Rice is the staple food in the world’s second largest economy, and Pakistani rice started making inroads into China in 2011 as a cheaper alternative to domestic and imported rice.– APP (File Photo)
SINGAPORE: Pakistan’s rice exports to China have risen to about 800,000 tonnes in the year to September 2012 from negligible volumes a year ago, as the grain wins popularity for its taste and low price, traders and industry officials said on Wednesday.
Rice is the staple food in the world’s second largest economy, and Pakistani rice started making inroads into China in 2011 as a cheaper alternative to domestic and imported rice.
Chinese buyers prefer Pakistani rice over Vietnamese grades, even though it takes longer to arrive, the traders added.
China is the world’s biggest rice producer and consumer.
“They have liked the taste and aroma of Pakistani white rice and the prices are very attractive,” said a trader with an international trading company in Singapore.
“Looking at the demand and prices, we expect Pakistan to become a regular exporter of rice to China.”
The price of 5 per cent broken Pakistani rice in the Chinese market is around $435 a tonne, including cost and freight, compared with domestic prices of more than $500 a tonne.
“Pakistani rice is really competitive in the Chinese market as the freight is notoriously low. It is below $10 a tonne,” another trader said on the sidelines of a grains conference in Singapore.
The lower moisture level of Pakistani rice, which enhances its shelf life, has also boosted its popularity in China.
“They can keep it for a longer period and when they cook it, the rice is fluffier,” said an industry official from Bangkok.
Good job Government… Pakistan has come up really good in the Agri sector in the last few years. Internaltional relations have also improved in the last few years significantly…
Well done pakistan! Bravo
Concentrate on energy & an Industrial revolution next.
Concentrate on Modern education and schooling networks in rural areas.
Love from India
Swaran Singh
Thanks Swaran!
Lots of love from Pakistan
Ahmed
Lots of love from Pak too
thank you very much to encouraging us,New generation shall do even more than this for the betterment of this country, again thanks.
Some good news for a change.
There are many, one needs to look at the brighter sides.
You seem always critical about Pakistan. Look this country was created in turmoil, it’s two most prominent leaders were dead a short time after independence it did not have money to even pay govenment employees in its early days, no industry really not much. A unique country like no other, two parts a 1000 miles apart, a third part which was never materialized. Most part of it’s 66 years existence, militarary rule. It is now faced with radical forces. It has done well even with those odds. It is on the road again, with the first civilian government finishing a 5 year term ever.
Educateion take ignorance away, that should be the biggest priority. Energy drives everything in today’s world, that is what will propel it forward, friendship with India will help take the burden off defence spending, so we are doing well considering where we came from. Pakistan makes everything it needs from complex machines,textiles, chemicals, industrial plants, planes, armament to bright young youth, they end up in the West. Great institutions all around, it needs good governance and relative quiet so that it can surge ahead, and I am confident it is going to do so.