Government enforces ban on export of non-basmati white rice

Hyderabad: In an effort to combat the increasing prices of rice and ensure sufficient availability in the domestic market, the government has taken decisive action by imposing an immediate ban on the export of non-basmati white rice. The move comes as a response to the escalating modal price of rice across cities, which has surged by Rs 5 per kg in the past year, reaching Rs 35 per kg as of Thursday. In the capital city, Delhi, the average price has soared to Rs 39 per kg, compared to Rs 32 a year ago. To address this situation, the Directorate-General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issued a notification, reclassifying white rice from the "free" list to the "prohibited" category, including semi-milled or wholly milled grains in the ban. The Ministry of Food has revealed that domestic rice prices have been on the rise, experiencing an 11.5% increase over the past year and a further 3% surge in the last month alone. Notably, the government had already implemented a 20% export duty on non-basmati white rice in September 2022 to mitigate prices and bolster domestic availability. By halting the export of non-basmati white rice, the government aims to stabilize the market and alleviate concerns over escalating prices for consumers.