A 18-member Pakistan trade delegation led by Abdul Rahim Janoo, chairman of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan met with officials of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) to discuss increasing exports of Pakistani rice and agricultural products to the kingdom and to discuss a number of industrial and agricultural investment opportunities available in Islamabad. The officials were welcomed by Mustafa Ahmed Kamal Sabri, secretary general of JCCI and praised the long standing relationship of cooperation and consultation between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The discussions focused on the research of different varieties and quality of rice which is most in demand in Saudi market. Pakistan uses 27 percent of its total area for agriculture and cultivation especially rice which is the staple food of most of the Gulf States. “Almost 1.2 million Pakistanis are living in the Kingdom and a large number of pilgrims come during Hajj and Umrah seasons and visit the two holy Mosques every year,” Janoo said. “At the same time tourists and Saudi students visit and live in Pakistan, this increases the cooperation between the two countries and become a medium to understand each other,” he said The volume of exports from Pakistan to Saudi Arabia is 73.5 percent while the export from Saudi Arabia stands at 90 percent of the Pakistani market. “The balance of trade between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan reached SR13,749 billion last year, with SR13,015 billion of Saudi exports and 734 million riyals imports,” Janoo added. Pakistani exporters said they were now capable of increased exports and they remained hopeful exports to the Kingdom would increase. “Pakistan rice exporters are now capable to export rice to Saudi Arabia in a much larger quantity and to cater to their requirements,” said Rahim Janoo chairman of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan and the head of the rice exporters delegation “we always are thankful to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for supporting Pakistanis; especially the business community,” Janoo said. He requested Sabri send a delegation from the JCCI to Pakistan to investigate the investmnt opportunities in Pakistan. “We are planning to have one more festival this July in Dammam and we hope these type of frequent visits and exhibitions will help us increase the trade volume,” Janoo said.
