Broken rice in transit with certain conditions now allowed for export till September 30

New Delhi: Exports of broken rice will be now allowed till September 30, including for where loading of broken rice on the ship has commenced before the initial ban order came into effect, where the shipping bill is filed and vessels have already berthed or arrived and anchored in Indian ports and their rotation number has been allocated, and where broken rice consignment has been handed over to the customs and is registered in their system, a new notification by Directorate General of Foreign Trade said.

Earlier, it was allowed till September 15.

On September 9, India banned the export of broken rice with immediate effect. The export policy for the commodity was revised from “free” to “prohibited”.

The ban on



exports assumes significance as it appeared that the overall sown area under paddy this Kharif season could be lower than that of last year. This can have an impact on both crop prospects as well as prices going forward.

Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary, Department of Food and Public Distribution on the same day the export was banned told reporters that an abnormal rise in exports and lower availability of broken rice in domestic markets pushed the central government to put a ban on its trade.

Pandey said the price of broken rice which was around Rs 15-16 (per kg) increased to Rs 22 and its overall exports rose 3 times. As a result, broken rice was neither available for poultry feed nor for the manufacturing of ethanol.