The Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) severely denounced the prohibition on rice cultivation in many Sindh districts.

In a Wednesday discussion, exporters stressed the necessity of rice exports in boosting foreign reserves in these difficult times and criticised government policies that discourage them.

Haseeb Ali Khan Senior Vice Chairman, Habibur Rehaman Vice Chairman, and Managing Committee Members attended.

Rice is the second-biggest export item, bringing in $2.5 billion in foreign cash annually, according to Chela Ram. As a surplus crop, rice may be exported, he said. “We are already facing crop shortage this year and this ban makes it very difficult to achieve our export target of over $2 billion,” he added.

Chela Ram also asked President Arif Alvi, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Commerce Minister Naveed Qamar, and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to examine the prohibition to maximise rice crop exports and generate foreign cash.

He reminded Sindh Government that Shaheed Benazirabad, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Sukkur are rice-growing areas.

In the first eight months of the current fiscal year, Pakistan is set to export $2 billion in rice, up 45%.