India allows 9 lakh tonnes of broken rice export to 5 countries

The Centre has allowed export of nearly 9 lakh tonnes (lt) of broken rice to five counties and more than 34,000 tonnes of wheat and wheat products to neighbouring Bhutan through National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL).

The Ministry of Commerce has also withdrawn the guidelines and procedures laid down in June-July for allocation of quota for export of broken rice, wheat and wheat products on humanitarian and food security grounds, based on requests received from other countries on government-to-government basis.

In a notification on Thursday, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said consequent to this Notification (of November 30), Trade Notice No. 08/2023 dated June 20, 2023 and Trade Notices No. 17/2023 and 18/2023 dated July 28, 2023 were rescinded.

Delhi HC case

Some exporters had filed cases in Delhi High Court challenging the procedures of allocation of export quota which were based on previous experience of shipments to the neighbouring countries.

Out of 8,98,804 tonnes of broken rice permitted by the government, Senegal has been allotted 5 lt with the condition that it has to be shipped in next six months. India has also permitted 2 lt for Indonesia and 1 lt for Mali.

Gambia has been allotted 50,000 tonnes of broken rice which also needs to be shipped in six months. Bhutan will be receiving 48,804 tonnes of Indian rice through NCEL, the DGFT said.

Further, permission has been given for export of 14,184 tonnes of wheat, 5,326 tonnes of atta and 15,226 tonnes of maida/sooji to Bhutan.

A ban on export of raw rice, broken rice, wheat and wheat products has been continuing for quite some time and there is no indication of any immediate revocation as India is cautious about the impact of El Nino, which may continue until June next year, on the crop after most of the monsoon season crops production dropped this year.

India received below normal monsoon rainfall in 2023 and witnessed the driest August since 1901.