Rice war
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Pakistan&rsquo;s hybrid rice production has only increased over the years. While this has increased profitability of the rice growers, exporters have not benefited much. The country&rsquo;s rice exports actually declined.</p>
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According to <a href="https://www.arabnews.pk/node/1883601/pakistan">Arab News,</a> the country&rsquo;s overall basmati exports have gone down by 31 percent during the current fiscal year, resulting in a revenue of $1.8 billion instead of $2 billion last year.</p>
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While Pakistan&rsquo;s rice exporters have blamed India for selling rice at subsidized rates in global export markets, the increase in production of hybrid grain has caused concerns for the authorities.</p>
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<strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/economy-news/with-record-grain-production-during-covid-can-india-help-prevent-global-hunger-106494.html">With record grain production during Covid, can India help prevent global hunger ?</a></strong></p>
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&ldquo;..hybrid rice is replacing traditional basmati, which has been Pakistan&rsquo;s premium export. Dozens of countries around the world produce hybrid rice but basmati is a Pakistan specialty. Pakistan has been fighting international legal battles to save this heritage and prove its sole proprietorship,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1640739">Raja Lutfullah Khan, a rice grower was quoted by Dawn newspaper as saying</a>.</p>
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Not just that. This rice cultivation requires additional water. The question that would come to the fore is this: &ldquo;where would water come from for this guzzler?&rdquo;</p>
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Dawn in a separate report noted that <a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1639431">the overall area under rice cultivation increased to 5.5 million acres in 2020 from 4.7-4.8 million acres in 2019</a>. The major increase has come from south Punjab where growers are switching from cotton and sugarcane crops to rice.</p>
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Muzammil Rauf Chappal, commodities importer and chairman of the Cereal Association of Pakistan also told Arab News that Indian Basmati rice prices are low due to higher production. &ldquo;The competition in international market will only be possible when we reach a higher production rate at lower prices as well,&rdquo; he told the news organization.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
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