Pakistani rice, Pakistani basmati rice has quietly built millionaires. Mill owners and small traders and first-time exporters have all found opportunity in Pakistani rice. Because the world simply can’t get enough of Pakistani rice. Pakistan currently ships rice to more than 30 countries and demand for Pakistani rice keeps climbing.
If you have ever wondered how the Pakistani rice export business actually works. Which Pakistani rice sells best how money you need to get started what kind of profit is realistic and what paperwork stands between you and your first container of Pakistani rice. This guide will walk you through all of it.
Why Pakistani Rice Is in Global Demand
Pakistan is a country and Pakistani rice is one of its signature exports. The country is currently the largest rice exporter in the world and it holds the number one spot globally for brown Pakistani rice exports. That is a position for a single product category and it is part of why so many new exporters are drawn to Pakistani rice as their first product.
Best Pakistani Rice Varieties for Export from Pakistan
Not all Pakistani rice is created equal. Buyers overseas are picky about grain length, aroma and processing of Pakistani rice. Here are the main varieties of rice grown and exported from Pakistan:
- Super Basmati. One of the recognized names internationally for Pakistani rice
- Basmati 385. High-quality well-regarded in export markets for Pakistani rice
- PK 386
- 1121 Basmati. Famous for its unusually long grain of Pakistani rice
- Basmati 98 (PK 198). Often exported as brown Pakistani rice
- Arye S, Arye 9 and KS 282. Additional export varieties of Pakistani rice
The Top 4 Export Varieties of Pakistani Rice
Out of everything grown in Pakistan four varieties of Pakistani rice dominate the export market:
- Super Kernel Basmati Brown Pakistani Rice. Pakistan is the worlds number one exporter of brown Pakistani rice and this variety leads that category of Pakistani rice.
- 1121 Basmati Pakistani Rice. Comes in three forms: steamed, white and sela (parboiled) rice. Its grain length ranges from 8.2mm to 9mm among the longest in the world. It is grown primarily in Punjab for Pakistani rice.
- IR-9 (Ary Nin). Grown in Sindh and Punjab with a grain length of around 6.8mm for Pakistani rice.
- Arye S / Arye Six. Grown in Sindh with a grain length of roughly 6mm, for Pakistani rice.
If you are entering the rice export business these four varieties of Pakistani rice are where most of the real demand. And the real money. Sits for Pakistani rice.
HS Codes for Rice Export from Pakistan
Getting the HS code is really important, for customs and duties and all the paperwork. Here is a quick guide to help you with that.
| Rice Type | HS Code |
|---|---|
|
Brown Rice |
1006.20 |
|
Basmati Rice (all types) |
1006.3010 |
|
Other Rice (non-basmati, non-brown) |
1006.3090 |
|
Broken Rice (“tota chawal”) |
1006.40 |
You should remember these codes because they will be used a lot in the papers you get when you ship something when you do customs work and when you talk to the people who are buying things from you. These codes are very important. You will see them all the time when you are shipping things and dealing with customs and buyers.
Top Countries That Import Pakistani Rice
Pakistan sends rice to than 30 countries. These countries are Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Djibouti, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Maldives, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Réunion, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom, United States and Yemen.
10 Buyer Countries for Pakistani Rice
- United Kingdom. This is the country that buys Pakistani rice
- UAE
- Spain
- Netherlands
- Italy
- France
- United States
- Belgium
- Denmark
- Saudi Arabia
If you want to find people to buy your rice these countries are a good place to start looking. You should focus on them when you are trying to sell your rice.
Who Are Pakistans Competitors in the Global Rice Market
Pakistan is the biggest rice exporter in the world.. It is not the only big player. The top countries that export rice are
- India. India is the rice exporter in the world. This is because the government helps traders a lot.
- Thailand
- Vietnam
- China
- United States
If you export rice you are not just competing with other people from Pakistan. You are competing with people from around the world. Buyers will look at the prices and quality of rice from all these countries before they decide who to buy from. They will compare rice with rice from other countries, like India and Thailand.
How Money Do You Need to Export a Container of Rice
Rice is a thing so it always ships in 20-foot containers. You will never see it in 40-foot containers. It is never sent as a smaller load, like some other goods can be.
To give you an idea you should have at PKR 5.5 million available to handle one full container of rice. This depends on the type of rice and what people are paying for it now. This is a lot of money to pay upfront. You can make a lot of money from selling rice so it balances out.
How Money Can You Make From Exporting Rice
This is the question people usually ask when they want to start exporting rice. The answer is really good.
- You can usually make a profit of 30% to 45% from one container of rice.
- If you invest around PKR 55–65 lakh you can expect to make a profit of PKR 25–66 lakh from one container of rice.
- If you sell rice to places like the USA or Europe you can make more money because people are willing to pay more.
This is why exporting rice has helped many people become successful. If you do everything right like finding the rice setting the right price and working with buyers you can make a lot of money.
What Kind of Packaging Do You Need to Export Rice
The buyer gets to decide how the rice is packaged. They might want the rice, in:
- 1 kg bags
- 2 kg bags
- 5 kg bags
- 25 kg bags
- 50 kg bags
- 100 kg bags
Sometimes the small bags of rice are put into bags before they are loaded into the container. Always ask the buyer what they want and add the cost of the packaging to the price of the rice.
How to Calculate Your Export Price
To get your export price right you need to add up all the costs:
- Cost of buying the rice
- Cost of packaging
- Cost of shipping and freight
- Fees for customs clearing agent
- Forwarding charges
- Cost of renting a ship or container
If you underprice you lose money. If you overprice you lose the buyer. Many exporters use a spreadsheet to calculate their price per ton or per container.
Finding Buyers for Pakistani Rice
After sorting out your rice type, price and paperwork finding buyers is the next challenge. Here are some ways to do it:
- Contact top buyer countries through trade platforms and B2B marketplaces
- Use trade data to find companies importing rice into your target markets
- Build relationships through Chamber of Commerce networks and trade associations
- Attend international food and agri-trade exhibitions
Licenses and Registrations Needed to Export Rice from Pakistan
To export rice, from Pakistan you need:
- NTN registration
- Sales tax registration
- Chamber of Commerce registration
- PSW registration
For rice there is an optional registration:
- Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP). Registering with REAP is not mandatory. It has advantages. Many large international buyers work directly with REAP-registered exporters. If you do not want to register that is fine too. You can check their registration and annual fees if you want the added credibility.
Documents Required for Rice Export
Before your container ships you need to get these things ready:
- Commercial Invoice
- Packing List
- Certificate of Origin which is issued by your Chamber of Commerce or your customs agent
- Bill of Lading which you get when your shipment is ready
- Phytosanitary Certificate, also known as Phyto Form 20 which’s necessary for all rice shipments
Getting Rice Export documents right the first time saves you from delays and problems with customs.
The Rice Export Process, Step by Step
Once you choose your Rice variety calculate your Rice pricing get your license and prepare your Rice documents the actual Rice export process has four steps. These steps are: confirming the buyer finalizing the contract shipping the Rice and getting paid. Each of these Rice export steps has details that you should understand well before you send your Rice shipment.
Final Thoughts
Rice export in Pakistan is a way to start international trade because Pakistan has very good basmati Rice people around the world want to buy it and you can make a good profit. If you have the Rice variety, the right price, the right documents and you know your buyers you can build a successful Rice export business.
If you want to start exporting Rice first learn about the four types of Rice calculate how much it really costs you to send one container and make friends with buyers, in the UK, UAE and Europe. That is where people want to buy Pakistans Rice.
