Islamabad (TDI): Pakistan is looking to expand its agricultural exports substantially, especially rice, which was its third largest export commodity in 2023. With this goal, the country’s commerce minister is meeting country-specific delegations to address issues and create sustained supply chains.
The latest meeting in this regards took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where Turkiye was the desired rice market. The Turkish Ambassador, Dr. Irfan Neziroğlu, was leading his delegation as the commerce minister laid out pricing mechanisms and export strategy.
According to a statement released by the ministry, Jam Kamal Khan “highlighted that Pakistan has recorded an excellent rice harvest this season, ensuring both quality and sufficient exportable surplus.”
Both sides reviewed in detail the existing trade cooperation and ways to expand it. Minister Khan elaborated how aggressive pricing by other competitors in global rice export market, like India and Vietnam, are putting pressure on Pakistan.
He added that the country is looking to expand its rice volume, and not aiming for price maximization, informing “the Turkish side that the government, in close consultation with rice exporters and industry stakeholders, has developed a pricing support mechanism to ensure Pakistan remains competitive in international markets.”
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Speaking about the various qualities of rice that Pakistan exports, the Turkish delegation was told that both basmati and non-basmati varieties can be exported to Turkiye at “internationally competitive rates.”
To increase rice exports to Turkiye, both sides considered opening government-to-government (G2G) trade channels, alongside the existing private sector channels.
“Under the proposed framework, Pakistan’s state trading entities would coordinate with relevant Turkish public and private sector institutions, including state-owned grain procurement bodies, to enable bulk procurement where price competitiveness is ensured,” the statement read.
The Turkish Ambassador encouraged Pakistan’s desire to increase rice exports volumes to Turkiye and said that mutual trade volume has not yet reached its potential.
Both countries had agreed on a trade goal of $5 billion during the seventh Strategic Cooperation Council meeting that took place in February, last year. The trade volume between them was recorded at $1.4 billion in 2024, which was a 30% increase from corresponding last year.
