ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain on Thursday emphasised the importance of research and development for introducing higher yielding and better quality rice seeds in order to increase rice production and exports. He was talking to a delegation of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), headed by its Chairman Muhammad Shafique who called on him at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The president underlined that REAP should itself take the initiative to promote research and development in the rice sector which would benefit not only the rice exporters but also the farmers. He noted that trade associations had an important role to play in unlocking the export potential of Pakistan by fostering business environment and representing interests of the business community. “The government is committed to providing an enabling business environment through a consistent policy direction for trade and industry,” Mamnoon said. He appreciated the resilience of rice exporters in dealing with cyclical business slumps as rice industry had been under pressure due to drop in international price –the rice sector was the second largest earner of foreign exchange. President Mamnoon said that the government was determined to tap the full export potential of the sector and had taken steps to encourage value-addition. He assured REAP of his full support in revitalising the sector and removing hindrances in increase of rice exports. REAP’s delegation apprised the president about their proposals for increasing rice exports and also briefed him on their problems relating to formulation of ‘Geographical Indication Law’ for getting patent right on its Basmati rice. It praised the government’s policies and initiatives to promote exports of the country.