Pakistani government officials have played down reports of any export ban on Pakistan rice in the near future claiming that some exporters were creating confusion with the objective of canceling their previous contracts with foreign buyers to renegotiate at the current high rate.

According to the FAO world rice production is expected to increase in 2008 by 12 million MT or 1.8 % assuming normal weather conditions. Production increase would ease the current very tight supply situation in key rice producing countries, according to the first FAO forecast for this year.