Export of white rice not allowed despite huge government stock

28-Jun-2024 06:12 PM

New Delhi. Although there is a huge amount of rice in the central buffer stock and in view of the high global market price, Indian exporters are also urging the Central Government to withdraw the ban on the export of non-Basmati white (raw) rice and 100 percent broken rice,

but the government does not seem to be in the mood to accept it at the moment. Similarly, there is also a demand to remove the 20 percent export duty on non-Basmati Sela rice.

The stock of rice with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has increased to three and a half times more than the buffer requirements.

A delegation of rice exporters made these demands during an important meeting with the Central Government officials on the previous day.

According to a leading exporter, the export of white non-Basmati rice has been stopped since July 2023. Its supply and availability situation in the domestic sector remains smooth and there is no unexpected jump in prices. In such a situation, allowing its export will not have any impact on the domestic market.

But the government's view is different from this. According to official sources, the retail and wholesale inflation rate of rice has remained in double digits since last year and first the government intends to reduce this inflation rate to below 10 percent.

For this purpose, the commercial export of Tukdi rice was banned in September 2022 and white non-basmati rice in July 2023 and then an export duty of 20 percent was imposed on Sela rice in August 2023.