Deliveries of rice from Pakistan to Azerbaijan could rise 10-fold owing to Baku cancelling import duty

BAKU. Dec 2 (Interfax) - Pakistani companies expect to increase supplies of rice to Azerbaijan by six-fold to 10-fold following Azerbaijan's decision to cancel the customs duty on rice imported from Pakistan, Khurram Javaid Bhatti, president of the Pakistan-Azerbaijan Chamber of Economic Cooperation (PakAzCham), said in a statement.

"We are currently striving to increase significantly the volume of rice imports from Pakistan to Azerbaijan and to reach $25-$30 million in 2023 against the $3-$4 million we have now," Bhatti told Interfax.

Bhatti noted the interest of Pakistani companies in these supplies. "We will work on it," the PakAzCham president added.

As previously reported, Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers on November 22, 2022, decided to zero out the 15% customs duty on rice imported from Pakistan. The customs exemption enters into force at the end of December and is valid until December 31, 2027.