APEDA Registration Made Mandatory for Non-Basmati Rice Exports

25-Sep-2025 09:27 PM

New Delhi. Although the Central Government has already completely exempted all controls, restrictions, and duties on the commercial export of all varieties and grades of rice,

and its shipment from the country is uninterrupted, now a requirement has been imposed for the export of non-basmati rice, requiring the registration of transactions (contracts) with APEDA before shipment.

A notification (No. 33/2025-26) issued on September 24, 2025, by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), a subordinate body of the Union Ministry of Commerce, states that the export of non-basmati rice falling under ITC (HS) codes 1006 3011, 1006 3019, 1006 3091, 1006 3099,

and 1006 4000 will remain in the "free" category, but shipments will be permitted only if contracts are registered with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Thus, an additional condition has been added to the non-basmati rice export policy.

India is the world's leading rice exporter, contributing approximately 42 percent of total global exports. The country exports a significant amount of both basmati and non-basmati rice annually.

Although the implementation of this additional condition will not impact overall rice exports, exporters may face some difficulty in registering each contract with APEDA. The country has abundant rice stocks and global demand is also beginning to strengthen.