Emphasis on lifting the ban on export of white rice

06-Aug-2024 04:24 PM

New Delhi. A member of Niti Aayog has said that in view of the sufficient stock of rice present in government warehouses, abundant rains of South-West monsoon and increase in paddy area, such a situation is being created that the ban imposed for the last one year on the export of non-Basmati white (raw) rice can be lifted.

There is no possibility of shortage of rice in the domestic sector. Harvesting and preparation of new crop of paddy and government procurement will start from October, due to which the stock of rice in the central pool will keep increasing continuously.

There are chances of increase in paddy production due to good rainfall in major producing states, which may increase the supply and availability of rice in the domestic market.

According to the member of Niti Aayog, there is no cause for concern in terms of rice supply. The stock position is very strong,

so even if the export ban is lifted now, surplus quantity of rice will be available in the country. In recent times, there has been some softening in the price of rice in India as well as abroad.

It is noteworthy that the ban on commercial export of broken rice has been in force since September 2022 and non-basmati white rice since July 2023, while 20 percent export duty has been imposed on Sela rice since August 2023.

The government is making every effort to reduce the huge stock of rice it has. Under this, the states have been allowed to buy unlimited quantity of rice directly from the Food Corporation of India warehouse at the rate of Rs 2800 per quintal and it has also been decided to sell it under OMSS. Meanwhile,

the production area of ​​paddy in the Kharif season has increased to 277 lakh hectares while its transplantation is going on.

Even after removing the export ban, the supply, availability and price of rice in the domestic division will not be affected much while the valuable foreign exchange earnings in the country will increase.