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ISLAMABAD, Feb 6 (APP): Pakistan is advancing efforts to expand rice exports to the Philippines and China through government-level negotiations and trade facilitation measures.
According to documents available with Wealth Pakistan, Pakistan and Philippine are currently negotiating a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a government-to-government basis for the annual export of one million tons of rice over a five-year period to boost Pakistan’s rice exports to the Philippines.
Pakistan has shared a draft MoU, to which the Philippines has responded with a counter-draft, the document said, adding that both sides are aiming to finalize and sign the agreement on the sidelines of the second Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting scheduled for February 19-20.
On China, the document said that the Ministry of Commerce has already engaged the Chinese side at the highest diplomatic level to explore free trade agreement options and trade facilitation measures to enhance Pakistan’s rice export potential.
A detailed meeting was held with the Chinese side on January 19, during which both countries reviewed progress under Phase I and Phase II of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA). While Pakistan’s exports to China have recorded steady growth, the potential to further enhance trade performance exists.
To unlock greater opportunities, Pakistan has already submitted a list of priority export items, including rice, seeking the grant of additional preferences from China to further strengthen market access and boost bilateral trade. Pakistan has proposed several interim facilitation measures aimed at accelerating exports. These include a waiver of the existing one percent import duty on Pakistani rice, the introduction of a special import quota similar to the successful 2019–2020 arrangement, and deeper collaboration with Chinese state-owned enterprises, particularly China Oil and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO), through long-term procurement partnerships with Pakistani suppliers.