Rice exporters ask for exclusion of premium rice variety from export ban

New Delhi, Aug 2 (KNN) The Rice Exporters Association has urged the government to allow exports of 1 million metric tons of a premium non-basmati rice variety.

In a letter to the government, the trade body pointed out that overseas Indians are struggling to secure staple after New Delhi banned the exports.

The Indian government imposed a ban on exports of non-basmati white rice last month after retail rice prices climbed 3% in a month after late but heavy monsoon rains caused significant damage to crops.

It triggered panic buying in many countries from the U.S. to Canada and Australia, where thousands of overseas Indians went to grocery stores and retail chains to stock up the staple, prompting some shops to impose limits on the amount consumers can purchase.

The price of sonamasuri rice, which is mainly produced in southern India and consumed by south Indians residing overseas sky-rocketed outside India following the ban, the trade body said.

The government should fix the base price of sonamasuri rice at USD 1,000 per metric ton and allocate annual quota of 1 million metric tons for the exports, the association said in the letter.  (KNN Bureau)