Rice smuggling busted from Kochi port in the name of salt

09-Jul-2024 08:24 PM

Kochi. Customs department officials have seized the consignment of long grain white rice escaping from Kochi port, which was being sent out in the name of salt. In fact, after loading the goods on the ship for export shipment of salt to England, when the officials inspected it,

it was found that an attempt was being made to send a consignment of rice instead of salt in it. Last month also, officials recovered a stock of 230 tonnes of rice from 11 containers at Vallarpadam terminal. 

It is worth noting that with the aim of increasing supply and availability in the domestic sector and curbing the rise in prices, the Central Government had banned the commercial export of non-Basmati white (raw) rice in July 2023.

After this, in August 2023, the commercial export of non-Basmati white (raw) rice was banned. After this, in August 2023, an export duty of 20 percent was imposed on non-Basmati Sela rice and the rate for Basmati rice was reduced from $1200 to $950 per tonne. 

India is the largest exporter of rice in the world and the second largest producer after China. Premium quality Basmati rice is also exported from here on a large scale, which is very much liked abroad. Many countries including Iran, Iraq,

Yemen, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and America import Basmati rice from India in large quantities. Due to the export ban, some people have to resort to smuggling rice. This rice is mostly brought from Tamil Nadu and attempts are made to send it abroad in the name of salt.

But the customs department has become alert. Intensive investigation of food grains containers has been started. What happens is that exporters book shipments of salt. On the ships, sacks of rice are placed at the bottom and they are covered with sacks of salt on top so that no one can find out.