Crop Detail
Rice is quintessentially Asian crop because 90% of rice production and consumption is concentrated in this region. It is the staple food for 50% of the world and 75% of the world's poor Rice is an important food and cash crop, In Pakistan, it is the second staple food after wheat and it's the second largest earner of foreign exchange after cotton. Pakistan is the 11th largest producer and 5th largest exporter of rice. Rice accounts 4.9% percent of the value added in agriculture and 1% percent of GDP of Pakistan. During July March 2013-14, rice export earned foreign exchange of US$ 1.667 billion. During 2013-14, rice is cultivated on an area of 2789 thousand hectares, 20.8 percent higher than last year's area of 2309 thousand hectares. The production stood at 6798 thousand tonnes, against the target of 6200 thousand tonnes shows a growth of 9.6 percent against the target if compared to corresponding period of last year production which was 5536 thousand tonnes, a healthy increase of 22.8 percent witnessed. The rice acreage increased due to lucrative market prices received during the last year which induced the growers to bring more area under cultivation.
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