PAKISTAN ALLOWS PRIVATE COTTON, RICE EXPORTS
  The Pakistani government allowed the
  private sector to export cotton and rice in a new trade policy
  announced to cover the next three years.
      Commerce and Planning Minister Mahbubul Haq said in a
  televised speech it was also decided to allow duty-free import
  of cotton yarn.
      Cotton and rice are Pakistan's main exports, which have
  been handled exclusively by state corporations since early
  1970s. Haq said now the private sector would export cotton and
  rice along with the state corporations.
      He said duty-free import of cotton yarn was allowed to make
  high quality yarn available to local ancillary industries and
  to enable them to compete effectively in the world market. This
  would help overcome domestic shortages of yarn, he said.
  

