According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), rice exports witnessed a 23 percent growth and crossed the $2.5 billion mark during the 2021-22 fiscal year for the first time in country’s history. Pakistan exported 4.877 million tons of rice in fiscal year 2021-22 against 3.684 million tons in fiscal year 2020-2021, showing a growth of 32.35 percent.
In the last few years, rice cultivation area has expanded. As per the Economic Survey of Pakistan (2021-2022), the crop was sown on 3,537 thousand hectares, showing an increase of 6.1% against 3,335 thousand hectares last year. The record high output of rice stood at 9.323 million tons during 2021-2022, higher by 10.7% than the previous year’s production of 8.420 million tons.
Read more: Pakistan exports more than $225 million rice to China
Other than expanded area of cultivation, increased rice production is a major element contributing to Pakistan’s increased rice exports. The adoption of innovative technology and the regeneration of good varieties are critical factors in promoting high yields. Some backward local kinds have been replaced by hybrid rice from China.
According to Shahzad Ali Malik, Chairman of the Pakistan Hi-Tech Hybrid Seed Association (PHHSA), regular usage of high-tech hybrid seeds in agriculture can significantly contribute to attaining an ambitious US$35 billion export target with the tagline “Grow More- Export More.” Chunjiu Long, Chief Scientist of the R&D Centre said in a recent interview with Gwadar Pro that Pakistan has a great potential for rice export, in which hybrid rice seeds can play a critical role.
According to the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China, Pakistan’s rice export to China in the first six months of this year is valued approximately Us$345 million, up from US$258 million in the same period previous year (GACC).
In addition to an increase in Pakistan’s rice exports to China, China and Pakistan’s collaboration in the field of rice seeds has gradually increased.
Long maintains that China-Pakistan seed industry cooperation is of great importance. He highlighted that we should efficiently utilize local germplasm resources like Basmati and fully take advantage of local high-quality meteorological conditions to help locals achieve grain self-sufficiency and export foreign exchange earnings. “”Through the cooperation platform between the two countries, China’s domestic seed companies can cooperate and develop with local enterprises with strong strength to provide high-quality technical services and varieties and improve local farmers’ passion for planting,” he added.
As the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) heads towards its second phase, cooperation between China and Pakistan in the core of agriculture, seed, is a top priority. “We look forward to establishing a ‘Technology Transfer- Product Process- Export’ model for seed cooperation with Chinese partners. These include storage of agricultural produce, livestock breeding, research and development and a high yield variety of hybrid seeds,” Abdul Raheed concluded.