Non-Basmati Rice Exports Decline

27-Nov-2025 08:42 PM

New Delhi. According to data compiled by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), a subsidiary of the Union Ministry of Commerce, India's non-basmati rice exports declined to 7.02 million tonnes in the first half of the current fiscal year,

April-September 2025, significantly lower than the 8.96 million tonnes shipped in the same period in fiscal year 2023-24. Commercial exports of non-basmati rice were banned in the same period in fiscal year 2024-25, making it uncomparable.

Exporters say that rice export shipments are slowing due to specific reasons. African buyers have run out of US dollars. However, these buyers are willing to pay any price for Indian rice in their local currencies if Indian exporters are unwilling to accept them.

One reason for the weak rice export demand is that the Indian government did not systematically lift the ban on rice export shipments from October 2024.

It is noteworthy that the Indian government imposed a ban on the commercial export of non-basmati white rice in July 2023, which remained in place until September 2024.

The process of lifting the ban began in October 2024, but first, customs duties were imposed and then a minimum export price was set.

While the export ban on non-basmati white rice from India was in place, many buyers in Asia and Africa entered into rice import agreements with supplier countries like Vietnam.

Some Indian exporters first entered into agreements with Vietnam and then attempted to import rice from there to other countries.

Shipments of Indian non-basmati white rice remained suspended in the global market from July 2023 to September 2024, and when exports were reopened in October, it took India considerable time to consolidate its position. Rice exports to the African country Senegal are being affected.