Commerce minister urges better use of 18,000-ton tariff-rate quota under PTA, explores zero or reduced duties and G2G trade channels.

By News Desk

Pakistan has raised market-access concerns with Türkiye, including tariff-rate quotas, import licensing procedures and the possibility of zero or reduced tariffs on basmati rice, as the government moves to boost rice exports amid intense global competition.

The issues were discussed during a meeting between Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Turkish Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Irfan Neziroglu at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, held on the directions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to prioritise agricultural exports, particularly rice.

The commerce minister said Pakistan has recorded a strong rice harvest this season, ensuring adequate exportable surplus of both basmati and non-basmati varieties. However, he noted that aggressive pricing by competing exporters, especially India and Vietnam, has created pressure in global markets despite Pakistan maintaining export volumes.

Jam Kamal Khan informed the Turkish side that, in consultation with exporters and industry stakeholders, the government has developed a pricing support mechanism to keep Pakistani rice competitive internationally. Under this approach, Pakistan is prepared to align its prices with prevailing global levels to avoid cost disadvantages for buyers.

He urged Türkiye to consider increasing rice imports from Pakistan as a special case, stressing that the government’s priority is volume expansion rather than price maximisation to support farmer incomes and sustain the agricultural value chain.

Both sides also discussed activating government-to-government trade channels alongside private-sector mechanisms. Under the proposed framework, Pakistan’s state trading entities would coordinate with Turkish public and private institutions, including state-owned procurement bodies, to facilitate bulk purchases where price competitiveness is ensured.

The minister called for the expansion and more effective utilisation of the existing tariff-rate quota of 18,000 metric tons for rice under the Pakistan–Türkiye Preferential Trade Agreement, noting that the quota has remained underutilised in past cycles due to procedural constraints. He also raised the possibility of zero or reduced tariffs on basmati rice.

The Turkish ambassador welcomed Pakistan’s proposals and reaffirmed Türkiye’s commitment to strengthening economic ties, observing that bilateral trade remains below potential despite strong political relations. He recalled the jointly agreed target of achieving $5 billion in bilateral trade.

Both sides agreed to enhance engagement between business communities through trade delegations, exhibitions and B2B interactions. It was also decided that technical delegations would meet in the coming weeks to advance discussions on rice trade, PTA expansion and wider cooperation in agriculture, food processing and value-added rice products, including parboiled rice.

The meeting concluded with an agreement to fast-track technical consultations, improve quota utilisation and expand Pakistan’s presence in the Turkish and regional rice markets, including potential re-export opportunities.

Published Date: January 29, 2026