Pakistan's exports of Basmati rice have showed an increase of 25 % in first six months of the current financial year over last year due to fall in supply of the commodity from leading rice producing countries in the international market.

The export sales were also helped by the fact that rival Basmati exporting nation India had raised its minimum export price of basmati and other rice varieties to discourage their exports.

From July-December FY08, Pakistan has exported US$311 million worth of basmati rice as against US$247 million worth of exports in the corresponding period of last financial yea