India Considering Non-basmati Rice Exports To Africa

With a gradual increase in the area under paddy cultivation in the country, the Indian government is mulling at allowing exports of about three million MT of non-basmati rice to African countries after November this year.

 Currently, export of non-basmati rice is banned to ensure availability of the commodity in the domestic market and to keep a check on inflation, which has since come closer to the 12 % mark.

India's summer-sown rice crop was planted on 23.13 million hectares as on July 31, up 11 per cent from 20.76 million hectares a year-ago. Besides a ban on the non-basmati variety, export restrictions like minimum price fixation of $ 1,000 PMT and export tax were imposed on the expensive basmati rice. The country saw a record production of 96.43 million MT in the 2007-08 season.