By IANS
Karachi : Pakistani rice exporters are up in arms against the government, as India has emerged as the preferred exporter of the commodity to Iran due to heavy tariff on imports through land routes.
Pakistani exporters of the cash crop are blaming Islamabad’s lack of coordination, weak foreign policy and apathy of their apex body, the Rice Exporters’ Association of Pakistan, for the predicament.
Three years back, India was just a blip on the Iranian rice import map, with just 60,000 tonnes. But in 2006-07, imports from the South Asian neighbour jumped to around 225,000 tonnes, the exporters said.
According to The News, what has left exporters even more worried is that in recent months there has also been a drastic drop of exports to Europe, Russia, Middle East and Saudi Arabia.
India has been the major gainer from this.
Pakistani rice exporters want their government to take up the matter with Tehran, which has imposed heavy tariffs on commodities exported from Pakistan overland.
India exports rice to Tehran through the sea route.
For 2007-08, India has already secured contracts for shipping around 150,000 tonnes.
Pakistani exporters estimate the total exports above the 300,000 tonnes figure, a big landmark for India.
Indian exporters are selling Pusa-1121 variety, a non-basmati long grain aromatic rice, to Iran.