NRIs in US, Canada rush to stock up on rice after India’s export ban

Thousands of expatriate Indians living in the US and Canada are turning to grocery stores and retail chains to buy rice Stocks after the Indian government Banning the export of non-basmati white rice.

Anusha (name changed) said: “Some shops reported runaways after hundreds of Indians, mainly South Indians, tried to buy a few bags of rice in a panic buying rice.” Business line.

“The news (of the export ban) sparked a frenzy. And we all duly joined (in the frenzy),” Gangadhar, an NRI, said.

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The center banned exports earlier this week to calm the soaring rice prices in the market and in light of the unhealthy progress of Khareef cultivation. The ban is also seen as a move in an election year. Elections for five states and Lok Sabha are scheduled in the next six to nine months.

This move led to an immediate increase in the price of rice in the world markets.

Social media is filled with posts showing panic-stricken Indians fighting their way to buy stocks of rice enough to sustain the likely prolonged rice imports from India.

NRIs from South India, who are in love with the Sona Masuri variety of rice, are very worried. “It has caused panic. They are expecting a long pause for imports from India,” another Telugu NRI said, wishing to remain anonymous.

Some NRIs have taken to social media slamming the panic buying of rice and luxuries in retail stores to buy stocks. “They can’t stock up on rice. They should think of others,” an NRI exasperated.