Jawed Ali Ghori, Chairman Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) has shown serious concerns over the damage of rice crop in Pakistan due to the heavy rains and excess water released by India into Pakistani rivers. He said floodwater mainly hurt rice crops in Punjab province and approximately 10 percent rice crops had been completely washed out.
Chairman Reap was discussing on the report made on the huge losses and damages in 2013 due to heavy rains and floods. He elaborated that particularly Pakistani Basmati rice crops faced a huge losses and “we are likely to face a price hike upto 20 percent in local markets for Basmati rice which will definitely affect the overall cost and the export of Basmati rice will have to face serious threats.”
He briefed that floodwater and heavy rains hurt particularly the areas of Kamoke and Muridke, as the 50-56 percent standing rice crops had been washed out, whereas in Sialkot area there was around 10-12 percent, in Narowal 10-15 percent, in Pasroor 20 percent, in Narang Mandi 15 percent, in Hafizabad 5-7 percent, in Jhang area 15-20 percent and in Chiniot 10-15 percent ready crops of rice had been damaged.
Chairman Reap urged the government to take immediate measures to uplift the losses of rice crops and resolve the after-effects of grain losses to growers and other stakeholders. He further said that every year, “we have to face such disastrous situation and requested the government to take preventive measure to avoid such incidents in future.”-PR
