Exclusive on Rice

Rice: Important cash

crop of Pakistan
by Dr. Noor Ahmed Memon.

Export of rice from Pakistan decreased

from US $2.18 billion in 2009-10 to US
$1.92 billion in 2012-13, thus showing
decline of 19%. Pakistan mainly exports
rice to UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kenya
and Afghanistan.
In Pakistan rice is an important cash
crop of the country and the overall
national economy. Rice accounts 2.7% of
the value added in agriculture and 0.6%
of GDP. Rice ranks as second amongst the
staple food grain crop in Pakistan and it
has been a major source of foreign
exchange earnings in recent years.
Rice provides 21% of global human
per capita energy and 15% of per capita
protein. Although rice protein ranks high
in nutritional quality among cereals, pro-
tein content is modest. Rice also provides
minerals, vitamins, and fiber, although all
constituents except carbohydrates are
reduced by milling. Modern rice varieties rain and late receding of water period in
rice fields prolonged the sowing.
On the other hand rice contains no In Pakistan, modern rice varieties
additives or preservatives, making it an were adopted rather rapidly after Irri rice Rice is grown in many areas of
excellent inclusion in a healthy and bal- was introduced in 1968. The rice variety Pakistan. In Punjab it is cultivated in
anced diet. Rice also contains resistant Irri was reportedly successful in Pakistan Sialkot, Wazirabad, Gujranwala,
starch, which is the starch that reaches because of high solar radiation and abun- Sheikhupura, district Gujrat, Sargodha,
the bowel undigested. This encourages dant irrigation water. When properly Faisalabad and Kasure.
the growth of beneficial bacteria, keeping managed, Irri yielded three to four times In Sindh, Jacobabad, Larkana, Badin,
the bowel healthy. as much as local varieties and enabled the Thatta, Shikarpur and Dadu district are
Rice Production country to increase its rice production
important in rice cultivation. District
substantially.
Pakistan is the world's largest pro- Nasirabad and Baluchistan are also a rice
Rice sowing area and yield producing area. The areas, production
ducer of rice. Each year, it produces an
average of 6 million tonnes and together Rice sowing area is estimated at 2.31 and yield of rice for the last five years are
with the rest of the South Asia; the coun- million hectares, 10.1% shown in Table-1.
try is responsible for supplying 25% of less than last year’s area
Table 1: Production and Yield of Rice
the world's paddy rice output. Most of of 2.57 million hectares.
these crops are grown in the fertile Sindh Production of rice Area Production Yield
Year
and Punjab region with millions of farm- decreased from 6.95 mil- (000) (000) (Kgs/Hec.)
ers relying on rice cultivation as their lion tonnes in 2008-09 2008-09 2,963 6,952 2,346
major source of employment. Among the to 5.54 million tonnes in 2009-10 2,883 6,883 2,387
most famous varieties grown in Pakistan 2012-13, thus showing
2010-11 2,365 4,823 2,039
include the Basmati, known for its flavour decline of 20%. The
2011-12 2,571 6,160 2,396
and quality. Rice production comprises production decreased
2012-13 2,311 5,541 2,398
40% of Basmati (Fine) type and 60% of due to decrease in area
and effects of monsoon Source: Federal Bureau of Statistics, Government of Pakistan.
coarse types.

September - October 2013 21

 Exclusive on Rice

In Pakistan’s agrarian economy rice after the country continued to face elec- in the world, have played a minor role
plays multifarious roles. Firstly, it is second tricity amid the energy crisis. This factor is globally with occasional exports and
staple food and contributes more than 2 also giving an edge to the Indian rice in imports.
million tonnes of national food require- the world market over Pakistani rice. India
Despite India’s rise as an exporter
ment. Secondly, rice industry is an impor- is selling rice at the world markets at a
since the mid-1990s, both these coun-
tant source of employment and income price, which is lower than Pakistan.
for rural people. Thirdly, it contributes in tries, which account for half of global rice
Iran’s decision to enhance import duty
the country’s foreign exchange excheq- production, have largely focused on
on rice imports from 45% to 90% as an
uer. For instance, during 2011-12 about domestic food security. Trade is an after-
import reduction strategy has hit rice
3.29 million tonnes rice of worth US $ thought for these two giants and it is
exporters in Pakistan. However, Pakistan’s
2.06 billion was exported. The barter mostly used to manage occasional sur-
exports to Iran had already been greatly
trade on Afghanistan border was in addi- pluses and deficits.
reduced due to the cheaper price of
tion to this export. In Pakistan, rice is
Indian rice and the reluctance of local India and Chinese governments are
grown under diverse climatic and edaphic
banks to accept letters of credit, following trying to expand rice production to keep
conditions. Basmati predominates in tradi-
US sanctions on Iran, other exporting up with the demand, but the rapidly
tional rice tracts of Punjab. In Swat at
countries have suffered greater losses rising costs of production and pressure on
high altitude mountain valleys, temperate
than Pakistan.
Japonica rice is grown. In the South of rice area from other competing crops are
KPK, Sindh and Balochistan Irri type long According to sources, Iran makes likely to keep imported rice a lot cheaper
grain heat tolerant tropical rices are changes in duty according to the needs of than producing rice domestically.
grown. the country to protect local prices of the
commodity especially in the wake of Table 3
Exports increased domestic rice production. There Exports of Rice
(Major Countries)
was no ban on trade, but the fresh move
Export of rice from Pakistan decreased Value: Rs. 000
was just a strategy that many countries
from US $2.18 billion in 2009-10 to US use to protect their local markets and it Country 2011-12 2010-11
$1.92 billion in 2012-13, thus showing would be reviewed.
decline of 19%. Pakistan mainly exports U.A.E 279,692 299,080
rice to UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kenya Global rice market Iran 154,011 355,219
and Afghanistan. UAE is the largest
importer of rice with market share of The global rice market has been dom- Saudi Arabia 127,872 133,094
about 13% while Iran and Saudi Arabia inated by a few exporters, namely,
Kenya 122,418 74,147
are second and third largest importers of Thailand, Vietnam, India and Pakistan,
rice with shares of 7% and 6% respec- about 60 to 70% of the total exports. Afghanistan 112,740 224,936
tively. Export of rice from Pakistan are Thailand has remained as the top rice
Oman 76,850 106,381
given in Table 2 and country-wise exports exporter in the world.
of rice are given in Table 3. Whereas, the export has been domi- Philippines 83,761 5,621
India kept basmati exports banned nated by a few exporters, the import side
Qatar 75,436 79,188
for around two years. but lifted the ban looks quite fragmented, with a large
after it estimated to produce surplus crop number of countries each importing a Yemen 72,692 44,924
last year. The neighbouring country is small amount of rice.
Sri Lanka 69,397 8,013
giving tough time in the world markets World top rice exporters and
such as Europe and Iran and India enjoys importers are given in Table 4 and Table Malaysia 66,822 20,174
good relations with Iran than Pakistan. 5. Over the years, both China and India, Somalia 62,184 41,068
Pakistan and Iran cannot have official
the top two rice producers and consumers
trade since the United Bangladesh 56,389 774
States has put economic Table 2: Export of Rice from Pakistan
United
sanctions on Iran. Value: US $ million 55,707 43,902
Kingdom
Banks in Pakistan are no Other
Year Basmati Total Mozambique 50,497 43,383
more opening letter of cred- varieties
its for goods to Iran. India 2008-09 1,070 913 1,983 South Africa 45,402 22,403
is having no such issues 2009-10 856 1,328 2,184
All others 671,995 480,924
with Iran and having good 2010-11 963 1,197 2,160
trade ties at the state level. 2011-12 826 1,236 2,062 Total 2,183,865 1,983,231
The cost of doing business 2012-13 658 1,261 1,919 Source: Trade Development Authority
has risen sharply in Pakistan Source: Trade Development Authority of Pakistan of Pakistan

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Future Prospects Table 4 Table 5

Top ten rice importers Top ten rice exporters
The rice exports from Pakistan in fiscal
(in million Tonnes) (in million Tonnes)
2021-13 crossed 3.4 million tonnes,
valued at $.1.19 billion at an average Country 2011 2012 Country 2011 2012
price of $ 936.6 per tonne for Basmati Indonesia 3.09 1.45
Thailand 10.64 6.50
rice, and $ 460.8 per tonne for non-bas-
Nigeria 2.55 2.45 Vietnam 7.00 7.00
mati rice, which is an important achieve-
Iran 1.80 1.90 India 4.63 8.00
ment despite tough international
Bangladesh 1.48 1.20 Pakistan 3.20 3.75
competition with India.
EU-27 1.47 1.40 Brazil 1.29 0.90
The government should provide sub- Philippines 1.20 1.50 Cambodia 1.00 1.00
sidies to paddy growers for better quality
Malaysia 1.07 1.08 Uruguay 0.84 0.85
yields, as India provides around $30 bil-
Saudi Arabia 1.10 1.15 Myanmar 0.77 0.60
lion in subsidies to its farming sector
Iraq 1.03 1.20 Argentina 0.73 0.65
every year through subsidized urea and
Ivory Coast 0.93 0.95 China 0.48 0.60
electricity for tube wells.
Source: United States Department of United States Department of Agriculture
Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan Agriculture (USDA) (USDA)
(REAP) has decided to prepare a road
rice prices should remain close to regional export such a huge quantity in the world
map to explore and enter new markets in
competitors, particularly India so that market where ‘our competitors are offer-
a bid to boost exports. The REAP will
exporters could keep their share in the ing rice at much less price.
focus on long-term planning with short
world market.
term targets to enhance Basmati exports, References
with an initial target to increase exports Pakistani basmati rice being superior
from $ 2.5 billion to $ 3.0 billion. in quality over Indian basmati, which was 1. Agricultural Statistics, of Pakistan -
2010-11, Government of Pakistan
being sold at a premium of $100 per
On an average the country produces Division.
around 6.0 million tonnes of rice annually tonne in the world market but now the 2. Trade Development Authority of
and after meeting domestic consumption same margin, has surged up to $250 per Pakistan
tonne due to higher paddy price. 3. Federal Bureau of Statistics,
of around 2.0 million tonnes, some 4.0
Government of Pakistan.
million tonnes are exported. The govern- If prices of paddy stay at current high 4. United States Department of
ment should intervene and ensure that level, exporters will not be in a position to Agriculture (USDA).