India, one of the leading exporters of rice, imposed a ban on export of non-basmati white rice in July 2023. The ban was imposed to meet the domestic demand and control the price, as crop production was impacted due to uneven rainfall.
However, in July 2024, the Government permitted the export of 1,000 MTs of non-basmati white rice to Namibia through NCEL (National Cooperative Consumer Federation of India Limited), a multi-state cooperative society and one of the canalising agencies for government-to-government deals.
The government granted permission to export to Namibia to help the Country meet its food security needs. Similar permissions were given in the past for export to Nepal, Cameroon, Cote D’ Ivore, Guinea, Malaysia, Philippines, and Seychelles.
As per the foreign trade regulations, few items are included in the canalized list due to various concerns related to national interest. Items in the canalized list can be exported or imported only by Canalisation agencies nominated by the Government.
Author-
Dr Alka Maurya
Director & Professor
SIIB
31st July 2024