India clears non-Basmati rice exports to Bhutan, Mauritius, Singapore
NEW DELHI : India on Wednesday permitted exports of limited quantities of non-basmati white rice to Bhutan, Mauritius and Singapore, according to a notification by Directorate General of Foreign Trade. Bhutan will get 79,000 tonnes, Mauritius 14,000 tonnes and Singapore 50,000 tonnes, even as the export ban imposed on 20 July remains in place. The export will be done through National Cooperative Exports Ltd, a government export body which was set up under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 to export agriculture produce and allied items.
“Though monsoon has been deficient during August, Indian government agreed to allow export to the needy countries totally on humanitarian ground. It will surely benefit exporters but will further add to food inflation in India, considering less than normal expected production of kharif crop," said Suraj Agarwal, CEO of Rice Villa brand. Mint on 23 August first reported in an exception for two key diplomatic partners, India will supply 14,000 tonnes of non-basmati white rice this year to Mauritius and 79,000 tonnes to Bhutan under humanitarian operations.
On 20 August, it had reported Singapore had asked for around 110,000 tonnes of rice. Mint on 1 August reported cargos and containers full of rice were lying at Indian ports, unshipped after the government announced export restrictions. Tuesday’s decision brought relief to several exporters as well as ship chartering agencies.
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