Maritime Affairs Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has urged rice exporters to target $10 billion in exports during a visit to REAP in Karachi. He also highlighted port reforms, dredging work and new trade facilitation measures.

News Desk

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has called on rice exporters to pursue a $10 billion export target, saying his ministry and port authorities would extend full support to help the sector expand, according to an official statement issued on Tuesday.

The minister made the remarks during a visit to the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP). He was accompanied by Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Chairman Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed.

During the visit, REAP Chairman Malik Faisal Jahangir briefed the delegation on the performance of the rice sector. He described it as a $4 billion industry and said the sector was aiming to reach $5 billion. He also outlined plans to bring nearly 30 million acres of land under cultivation in an effort to raise production and exports.

Chaudhry said changing regional conditions had opened up fresh opportunities for Pakistani ports. He said the government had placed greater emphasis on facilitation rather than revenue collection in order to attract more cargo and investment.

Port operations and trade facilitation

The minister said port operations remained active even during Eid holidays, adding that 16 vessels were handled during the period. He described it as the first time in Pakistan’s history that port operations continued without interruption on Eid.

He further said permission had been granted for less-than-container-load (LCL) cargo handling, while TIR regulations had been revised to make transit trade more efficient.

Highlighting Pakistan’s geographic position, Chaudhry also referred to the launch of bunkering services at Karachi Port. He said the port had started offering bunkering facilities to large vessels in deep-sea waters and estimated the trade potential at Rs300 billion.

Dredging work under way at Karachi Port

The minister said dredging at Karachi Port had begun and was expected to bring down costs for the business community. He said the work was scheduled for completion within three months.

According to Chaudhry, the project is expected to reduce vessel turnaround time from seven days to two days. He said this improvement could generate an economic benefit of Rs30 billion to Rs40 billion for businessmen.

Speaking on the occasion, KPT Chairman Rear Admiral Shahid Ahmed said port charges had been cut by 60% and demurrage fees had been removed as part of efforts to facilitate trade and reduce costs for the business community.

The visit focused on the rice sector’s export potential and the role of port-related reforms in supporting trade growth, as officials and industry representatives discussed measures aimed at improving logistics, lowering costs and increasing export volumes.

Published Date: April 15, 2026