Mauritius Now Prefers to Import Rice from India Instead of Pakistan

03-Nov-2025 02:24 PM

New Delhi: Mauritius has expressed its intention to import rice in large quantities from India instead of Pakistan, as Indian rice is comparatively more affordable. The Chairman of the State Trading Corporation of Mauritius stated that his country wishes to enter into a long-term rice import agreement with India for about 33,000 tonnes of rice. The goal is to ensure a steady supply of rice for its domestic subsidized distribution program and to reduce dependence on imports from Pakistan. Notably, in recent years, Pakistan had become one of the key suppliers of rice to Mauritius.

The Chairman, who visited India to participate in the Global Rice Conference held in New Delhi, explained that when India imposed a ban on the export of non-basmati rice in 2023, Mauritius was compelled to turn to Pakistan for large-scale rice imports. Before the ban, Mauritius had been sourcing most of its rice supplies from India under a long-term trade agreement. Once the ban was imposed, the Mauritian government initiated an open tender process for rice imports, providing Pakistan an opportunity to capture the Mauritian market.

Now that India has lifted the export restrictions and Indian rice is available at more competitive prices, Mauritius is seeking to reestablish long-term supply ties with India.

Often referred to as a “mini India” in the Indian Ocean region, Mauritius continues to maintain close trade and cultural relations with India. The Chairman added that even during the export ban, India supplied limited quantities of rice to Mauritius at a government-to-government level, but those volumes were insufficient to meet domestic needs. Mauritius requires about 1,000 tonnes of basmati rice and 32,000 tonnes of white (non-basmati) rice every month to fulfill its consumption and distribution requirements.