Government Notifies Six New HS Codes for Rice Exports
02-May-2025 01:57 PM
New Delhi. In a significant move aimed at enhancing clarity and transparency in rice exports, the Central Government has abolished three existing ITC HS codes for general-grade and Basmati rice and replaced them with six new HS codes. This restructuring is expected to facilitate better policy control over exports in the future.
Previously, rice exports were classified under the following codes:
Sela rice – HS Code 10063010
Basmati rice – HS Code 10063020
Other rice – HS Code 10063090
These have now been replaced with six new HS codes, categorized as follows:
10063011 – GI-recognized Sela rice
10063012 – Sela Basmati rice
10063019 – Other Sela rice
10063091 – GI-recognized rice of other varieties/categories
10063092 – Basmati rice of other categories
10063099 – Other rice of other categories
Why This Matters
The move addresses a longstanding demand for separate HS codes for Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged rice, particularly Basmati and premium non-Basmati varieties. GI-tagged rice is recognized for its distinct quality and origin, and separate coding allows for more precise regulation, should export restrictions or controls be needed in the future.
Currently, all varieties of rice can be exported freely without any duty or quantitative restriction, so the immediate impact of these new codes is limited. However, officials emphasize that this classification will help streamline trade, improve tracking and monitoring of exports, and prevent misclassification or fraud.
The updated coding system ensures that only eligible rice varieties, including those with GI recognition, are exported under specific HS codes, thereby strengthening compliance and transparency in international trade.