European Union issues quality alerts on Pakistan’s rice exports

A recent revelation has brought to light that substandard and counterfeit rice has been exported from Pakistan to the European Union (EU).

The issue was discussed in a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Commerce, chaired by Muhammad Javed Hanif, where the EU’s objections to Pakistani rice exports were deliberated upon.

Committee member Mirza Ikhtiyar Baig disclosed that over 100 alerts had been issued by the EU regarding the quality of rice being exported from Pakistan.

He highlighted concerns over fake and substandard rice being supplied to the EU markets, adding that there was an increasing amount of counterfeit material in the rice being sold.

“How are these issues slipping through under our noses?” questioned Baig, emphasizing the need for better oversight.

Committee member Sharmila Faruqi noted that the EU had imposed 72 barriers on Pakistani rice exports in 2024, citing quality concerns while pointing out that despite the formation of a new National Food Safety Authority, issues related to the quality of rice exports remained unresolved.

Secretary of Commerce, Jawad Pahl, responded to the concerns, stating that no formal warnings had been issued by the EU. “There’s no issue, yet it has been blown out of proportion,” he said.

Further discussions revealed that the EU had issued a warning on a rice consignment from Punjab. Committee members emphasized the need for better collaboration with agricultural sectors to address these export issues. Mirza Ikhtiyar Baig assured that this year’s rice production was robust and exports had been strong.

Trade department officials informed the committee that they were working with provincial authorities to address rice quality concerns and had held multiple meetings with relevant stakeholders.

Another committee member mentioned that Bangladesh had placed an order for 50,000 tons of rice from TCP, stressing the urgency of resolving rice quality issues to maintain export markets.

The committee decided to invite rice exporters’ associations to the next meeting to receive a detailed briefing on the matter. The chairman emphasized the importance of addressing these concerns thoroughly with all stakeholders.

Tags: Pakistan, quality, exports, EU, rice