The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has issued an international tender to purchase 100,000 tonnes of long-grain white rice (IRRI-6) for export to Bangladesh. The deadline for submitting price bids is November 28 at 11:30 a.m.
Relations between Islamabad and Dhaka have improved noticeably since the fall of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government in August 2024, ending decades of diplomatic coldness. This has led to increased bilateral engagement and cooperation.
The rice will be exported to Bangladesh as break-bulk cargo through the ports of Karachi. According to the tender, bidders may offer a minimum of 25,000 tonnes and a maximum of 100,000 tonnes, with a 5 percent variation allowed. The rice must come from the “latest Pakistani crop stocks” and must be fully fit for human consumption.
The document also states that the shipment must be ready within 45 days of the contract award.
Strengthening Trade Ties
Analysts see the tender as an effort by Pakistan to secure a place for its rice in Bangladesh’s import supply chain. The move comes at a time when Bangladesh has been issuing repeated tenders for rice imports in recent weeks to stabilize domestic prices.
Earlier in February, Pakistan and Bangladesh launched direct government-to-government (G2G) trade with a deal involving 50,000 tonnes of rice. At last month’s 9th Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting, Pakistan also offered Dhaka the use of Karachi Port Trust as a gateway for trade with regional countries, including China and the Central Asian states.
Rice Export Landscape
Pakistan’s rice exports dropped by 28 percent in the first quarter of fiscal year 2026. A representative of the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan attributed the decline to India’s resumption of rice exports in 2024, the removal of the minimum export price (MEP) for Basmati, and the zero-rating of rice exports.
However, Pakistan has gained an opportunity in the U.S. market after the United States imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian Basmati rice, allowing Pakistani exporters to increase their market share.
