Pakistan's rice exports in 2008 may fall to 3 million MT from 3.3 million MT last year due to a shortage of ships to haul rice and electricity shortages hampering rice milling.

Demand for Pakistani rice is likely to increase in the coming weeks as major exporting nations have stopped exporting the commodity to ensure domestic supplies.

Over the past few weeks, India has banned the export on non-basmati rice while Egypt has banned all rice exports until October.  Among others, Cambodia has imposed a two-month ban on exports, while Vietnam will limit exports and has said the country is mulling an export tax on the commodity.