Relaxation in Rice Export Conditions for Certain European Countries

11-Apr-2026 11:30 AM

New Delhi: The Central Government has suspended, for the next six months, the mandatory requirement for exporters to obtain a certificate from a government export inspection agency for the export of Basmati and non-Basmati (common) rice to certain European countries. Exporters can now export rice to these nations even without such a certificate.

According to an official notification, the requirement for a certificate has been restricted to countries such as the UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, while the need for a certificate for rice exports to all other European nations will remain suspended for the next six months.

It is noteworthy that this rule has been in effect for a long time, and the government periodically extends its validity every six months.

The European Union imports significant quantities of Basmati rice and high-quality non-Basmati rice from India. It should be noted that the UK is no longer a member of the European Union; it has already concluded a bilateral trade agreement with India. Rice exports from India to the other four countries occur in limited quantities.