Government mulling review of minimum export price for basmati rice

17 Oct 2023 Evaluate

The government is mulling review of minimum export price (MEP) of $1,200 per tonne of basmati rice, which had been set for basmati rice exports in August 2023 to restrict possible ‘illegal’ shipment of white non-basmati rice in the garb of premium basmati rice. Rice exporters' groups demanded that the MEP be lowered to around $850 per tonne to boost overseas sales as outward shipments have been affected due to high value. The average export prices of basmati rice stood between $850-900 per tonne in 2021 and 2022. This year, it was around Rs 1050 per tonne before the government's August decision not to register contracts below $1200 per tonne.

The Government has taken a series of measures in order to check the domestic prices of rice and ensure adequate availability for domestic consumers. One of the measures being that contracts for Basmati rice exports with the value of $1200 per tonne and above only may be registered for issue of Registration - cum – Allocation Certificate (RCAC) effective from August 25, 2023. This measure was necessitated as the Government had received credible field reports regarding misclassification and illegal export of non-basmati white rice, exports of which have been prohibited with effect from July 20, 2023. It had been reported that non-basmati white rice was being exported under the HS code of Basmati rice.

Now, the new crop of Basmati has started arriving and there is generally a decline in prices when the new crop starts arriving. Based on the representations received from the Rice Exporter Associations that the high Free on board (FOB) value is adversely affecting the export of basmati rice from the country, Minister, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution had attended a consultative meet with the basmati rice exporters. Based on the discussions in this meeting, review of FOB price of contract for issue of RCAC by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) for export of basmati rice is under active consideration of the Government. The present arrangement will continue until an appropriate decision is taken by the Government. 

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