Global Rice News

Agricultural yields in Pakistan have remained impressive despite some challenges in the larger economic landscape. In fact, the yields of certain crops like wheat have seen significant increases, despite a few weather-related setbacks. Last year, the country experienced a windfall of Rs400 billion due to a four million tonne increase in productivity, as shared by the National Food Security and Research minister. This increase has allowed the government to set a target of 32.2 million tonnes for the current fiscal year. If this ambitious target is achieved, Pakistan will have a surplus and will be able to transition from being a large wheat importer to becoming a net exporter. It’s worth noting that Pakistan’s reliance on imported wheat, particularly from Ukraine, had adversely affected the economy after Russia’s invasion last year.

On the other hand, India is facing domestic challenges with its rice crop, which could benefit Pakistan. Pakistan is set to become the world’s primary exporter of basmati rice, surpassing Thailand and Vietnam, who export a different variety of rice. As a response to a domestic rice shortage, India has banned the export of non-basmati rice and has imposed high minimum export prices for basmati rice. However, recent reports from Indian media indicate that New Delhi may review the export price, considering that the majority of basmati rice grown in India is exported and domestic basmati prices are dropping. India also wants to repair its reputation caused by the ban since many countries, particularly food-insecure nations in Africa, relied heavily on India for rice imports.

The increased supply of agricultural products domestically and the growing international demand is promising news for Pakistan. This development could support the country’s “back to basics” approach, utilizing the strength of the agricultural sector to drive overall economic reforms.

Source: [The Express Tribune](https://tribune.com.pk)