Rice Prices Likely to Stay Firm in Eastern States

27-Aug-2025 09:28 PM

Kolkata. After the start of exports to Bangladesh, the price of rice has started strengthening from other provinces of eastern India including West Bengal.

The Bangladesh government had given permission to private traders to import about 5 lakh tonnes of rice duty-free on August 13 itself and only after this the consignment of Indian rice started arriving there.

The Government of India had banned import and export with Bangladesh through road border on April 15, but ended it on August 12. The Bangladesh government was eagerly waiting for this.

In fact, due to the complex situation of supply and availability of rice in the domestic division of Bangladesh, the prices started rising, to control which the government had to allow its duty-free import. With the approval, Bangladeshi traders started buying rice from India,

due to which its price increased by 10-15 percent in the domestic market. According to the information received, the Bangladesh government has allowed private traders to import 4.60 lakh tons of Sela rice and 39 thousand tons of Kacha (white) rice duty free. Apart from this, efforts are also being made to procure rice at the government level itself.

The interesting fact is that Indian traders had already received information about this plan of the Bangladesh government under which there was no talk of temporarily suspending the 20 percent customs duty on imports.

Due to this prior information, Indian exporters bought rice from the market and stored it in warehouses located near Petrapole-Binapole land border. Now it is being sent to Bangladesh.