Global Rice News

The government has lifted the ban on the export of essential food items to five African nations in order to address the food shortage in these countries. This decision comes after the export restrictions on food grains such as rice and wheat had led to a decrease in food availability in these strategic partner countries.

According to a notification by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), the government has permitted the export of 240,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice to Comoros, Madagascar, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya, and Egypt. Each country will receive a specific quantity of rice, with Comoros getting 20,000 tonnes, Madagascar receiving 50,000 tonnes, Equatorial Guinea receiving 10,000 tonnes, Kenya receiving 100,000 tonnes, and Egypt receiving 60,000 tonnes.

India has been supplying rice to its strategic partners in Asia and Africa since the ban was imposed on broken variety and non-basmati white rice in September 2022 and July 2023 respectively. The export restrictions were put in place to control prices in the domestic market.

In recent months, the government has also allowed the export of 2.77 million tonnes of non-basmati white rice to 14 key Asian and African nations including Singapore, Nepal, Malaysia, and the Philippines. In addition to white rice, India has also permitted the export of wheat, atta, maida, and broken rice to Bhutan. Broken rice has also been exported to Mali, Senegal, Gambia, and Indonesia.

Due to rising food prices and increased inflationary pressure, the Indian government had banned the export of non-basmati white rice in July this year. Additionally, a 20% export duty was imposed on parboiled rice, and a minimum export price of $1,200 per tonne was set for basmati rice in August.

Overall, this decision to allow the export of essential food items to African nations will help in addressing the food shortage in these countries, ensuring a stable supply of rice and other food items.

Source: [Livemint](https://www.livemint.com)