NEW DELHI: Government Saturday lifted blanket ban on export of non-basmati white rice while imposing a minimum export price (MEP) of $490 per tonne on the grain. This came a day after it halved export duty on parboiled rice to 10%. The two consecutive decisions will push outbound shipment of the key foodgrain just ahead of an estimated bumper summer crop and when stocks at FCI warehouses are at capacity.
Traders said they have started receiving calls from overseas as soon as govt order became public. India is world’s biggest exporter of rice.
Govt had banned export of non-basmati white rice in July 2023 and had also imposed a 20% duty on parboiled rice exports amid fear of reduction in paddy production due to below-normal rainfall. Rice export was allowed only to some countries through diplomatic channels to meet their food security requirement.
Recently government had also removed ban on export of onion and MEP for basmati rice.