Pakistan rated as country with lowest food risk in FY2024

Pakistan has emerged as the country with the least risk in terms of food safety standards in 2023-24, with rice exports accounting for 25% of the European rice export market, well ahead of India’s 16%.

This information was disclosed at a meeting of the newly elected Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) Chairman Malik Faisal Jahangir and Commerce Minister Jam Kamal. The discussion focused on managing exports amid falling international prices and India lifting export restrictions from October.

The minister said that only 74 urgent notices were issued against Pakistani rice exporters last year on pesticides and other issues, while India issued 264. "This shows that Pakistan's rice industry is more compliant," the REAP official said.

He noted that Pakistan remains one of the lowest risk countries in terms of food safety standards, while countries such as Turkey, India, Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom face more notifications.

Minister says they will surpass India in European rice export market

But there are concerns that poor performance could damage Pakistan’s export reputation. He shared his suggestions during the meeting and announced that Pakistani rice exports face fewer regulations than many competitors.

The Ministry of Commerce has lifted the minimum export price in a bid to increase India’s competitiveness in the global market. However, it is thought that Pakistan’s exports will struggle to catch up with last year’s levels due to the low prices.

According to the statement, Commerce Minister Kamal called for measures to improve Pakistan’s rice exports and ensure compliance with European food safety standards. He stressed the need for greater cooperation between the government and exporters to better manage competition.

Mr. Kamal highlighted the important role of rice exports in Pakistan’s economy, noting that rice ranks second after cotton in terms of export value. He said rice exporters are the main source of income and employment and the government aims to increase exports from $4 billion to $6-7 billion in the future. “We are working to improve our standards to meet international food safety regulations, especially in Europe,” he added.

The Minister also drew attention to the recent political developments, especially the visit of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.