960416

German expert

tip to boost

exports of

basmati rice

LAHORE: A German expert has asked, rice mills in Pakistan to improve the equipment of pre-cleaning, mill cleaning and yield control so as to boost export of basmati rice.

K Kuade, whose services were arranged by Pakistan-Germany Business Cooperation Project of FPCCI from GTZ, the German state agency for technical collaboration, during meeting with rice mills management in Lahore, said Pakistani rice mills have good potential to meet international competition.

He said more than half of the total export of basmati rice was absorbed in 1993-94 by Middle East countries. The biggest buyer in Europe was great Britain with 8167 tons, from where rest of the European countries receive this special rice.

Kuade said Germany has only a direct importer of 188 tons of rice from Pakistan. The main reason for this nominal import he cited was that this rice is not introduced in the public and the more active Indian suppliers have captured a major market share.

He recommended improvement in the performance by developing better quality and also by introducing additional equipment for the purpose.

He was of the opinion that as the Pakistani rice mills have to compete only with mills in the Indian Punjab and as the price levels are not comparable due to different policies in both the countries, there was a limited competion.-PPI