Urge to deregulate rice exports in view of the possibility of spectacular production

18-Sep-2024 06:02 PM

New Delhi. In the current Kharif season, the area under paddy cultivation at the national level has increased by 4 percent to 410 lakh hectares and the monsoon rains have also been very good, due to which rice production is expected to reach new record levels.

In view of this, exporters are urging the government to withdraw the ban on commercial export of non-basmati white rice and the 20 percent customs duty imposed on the export of sella rice.

It is understood that the government is also ready for this in principle, but it is waiting for the situation to become clear in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

There is sufficient stock of rice available in the government warehouses themselves and the domestic market price of this food grain has also remained stable within a certain limit.

The President of the Rice Exporters Association says that the government should withdraw the export duty imposed on sella rice and free the export of white rice from the ban.

There is a ban on the export of white rice since July 2023, while in August 2023, an export duty of 20 percent was imposed on Sela rice, which is still in force.

It is worth noting that the government has recently announced the abolition of the minimum export price (MAP) of $ 950 per tonne fixed for Basmati rice.

This has raised the hopes of exporters and it is hoped that the government can take a positive policy decision regarding the export of non-Basmati rice in the near future.

The exporter organization has been demanding this repeatedly. But the government was not accepting it.

The Indian Rice Exporters Federation has sent a letter to the Union Food Minister urging to make the export of non-Basmati rice completely duty free and decontrolled.

According to the Federation, the paddy crop is very good and the price of rice is also under control. Opening of exports can give paddy producers an opportunity to get better prices.