Pakistan ranked lowest-risk for food safety in FY24

Pakistan has emerged as the lowest-risk country concerning food safety standards for the fiscal year 2023-24, with rice exports making up 25 per cent of the European rice export market, significantly outpacing India’s 16pc. This information was revealed during a meeting between the newly elected Chairman of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) Malik Faisal Jahangir and Commerce Minister Jam Kamal. The discussion focused on maintaining rice exports in light of falling international prices and India’s lifting of its rice export ban effective October. Mr Jahangir informed the minister that only 74 rapid alerts for pesticides and other issues were issued against Pakistani rice exporters last year, compared to 264 for India. “This shows that the Pakistani rice sector is more compliant,” the REAP chairman said.