Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra states that India is not considering restricting non-basmati parboiled rice exports
In a surprising turn of events, India announced a ban on the export of non-basmati white rice. It is the most widely consumed variety of rice worldwide. This news came in succession after India announced a ban on broken rice exports last year.
Sanjeev Chopra, Food Secretary, states that India is currently not considering restricting the exports of non-basmati white rice. He further claims that there are no considerations for restrictive measures such as export taxes or floor prices for parboiled rice exports.
Parboiled rice constitutes a third of India’s total rice exports. At the beginning of the month, the rice stocks were triple their target. Prem Garg, the president of the Indian Rice Exporters Federation, states that rice is in comfortable supply this year. He continues by saying that the new rice stock will be available in two months. Till then, the government and open markets have a surplus of rice.
Indian farmers tend to plant rice during the monsoon months of June and July. The rice is ready for harvest in the month of October. This October, the Government of India plans to purchase 52.1 million tons of rice from farmers, compared to 49.5 million tons last year. Sanjeev Chopra claims there are no plans to import rice from Russia through diplomatic relations.Rice is not the only crop affected by rising inflation. According to government sources, India and Russia are in talks for a deal regarding wheat imports. The country wants to import wheat to stabilise prices, boost supply, and end food inflation.
The current wheat stock is 28.3 million tons, 20% lower than the past ten-year total.
In addition to the crisis regarding wheat and rice, the government has allowed mills across the country to sell an additional 200,000 tons of sugar. Every year, the government decides the fixed quantity a mill can sell.