New Delhi. With the harvesting and preparation of the new Kharif crop gaining momentum, its arrival in the markets has started increasing, but due to weak demand from millers and exporters, there is an atmosphere of softness in the prices of Basmati rice, especially.

The price of paddy in Amritsar fell by Rs 150-160. In some mandis, the price of paddy also increased by Rs 100-200, but generally the sentiment remains bearish. The price of 1718 paddy in Tarawadi Mandi of Haryana fell by Rs 300 to Rs 3700 per quintal. There was also a fall of Rs 125 in Tohana Mandi. On an average, 50-55 thousand bags of paddy are being supplied daily in these mandis. In Tohana, one lakh bags of paddy reached one day. 

Although the central government has exempted the export of whole category Basmati and normal rice from all restrictions and duties, which indicates that the pace of its export from the country will increase, but the price in the international market has come down, due to which exporters are facing difficulty in purchasing paddy-rice at high prices and shipping rice. As long as the supply in the domestic markets remains strong, rice exporters can get the goods at low prices. The demand for Indian rice is increasing in the global market.