Russia lifts ban on rice export of Pakistan
News Report
Moscow: The Russian government has lifted the ban on the import of Pakistani rice after two years when Pakistani authorities assured the Russian to comply with SPS, an official of the Pakistani Mission in Moscow told this scribe.
Pakistan has been struggling since 2019 to convince Russian authorities to allow the resumption of rice export for Pakistan.
Due to the efforts of the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of National Food Security and Trade Wing, Embassy of Pakistan in Moscow, Russia has allowed the import of rice from Pakistan effective 11th June 2021.
Initially, Russia has allowed four establishments to export rice to Russia. Two years back, the Russian authorities had banned rice export of Pakistan because of the presence of the Khapra beetle in the shipments.
Minister Trade Moscow, Nasir Hamid has successfully persuaded the Federal Service for Veterinary & Phytosanitary Surveillance (FSVPS) of Russia to conduct a virtual inspection of other rice exporting establishments of Pakistan.
He made efforts to convince Russian authorities, seeking permission for rice export of Pakistan to Russia as well, said an official statement of the Ministry of Commerce, Government of Pakistan.
The FSVPS of the Russian government has agreed with the proposal and has requested the list of rice exporters in order to make arrangements for virtual inspection, the statement added.
The Russian side has also shown a keen interest in importing sesame from Pakistan and has requested the list of sesame exporters of Pakistan. Trade Wing Moscow has shared the list of sesame exporters of Pakistan with FSVPS.
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According to one of the rice exporters, lifting the ban on Pakistani rice export to Russia will give us (exporters) a cushion of bringing more foreign reserves and market access. According to him, with this Russian gesture, Pakistan will bring 40 million dollars to 50 million rice exports.
Similarly, the Ministry of Commerce is fighting a legal battle in European Union to register Basmati Rice as its Geographical Indication (GI) product to capture more rice market.
