Mumbai: India the world`s second-largest producer has allowed exports of the aromatic, long-grained rice Pusa -1121 with immediate effect.
The Government had recently partially lifted a six-month old ban on exports of some premium quality rice, due to expectations of a bumper crop for a second year in a row. But now the world’s second-largest producer has allowed exports of the aromatic, long-grained Pusa-1121 with immediate effect, a move that is expected to calm supply concerns in the global market.
Details of the shipments must be registered with the ministry, the Commerce Ministry said today on its Web site. It also fixed the minimum export price (MEP) at US$1,200 (Rs48,000) per ton. Shipments will be restricted through ports in Kandla, Kakinada, Kolkata, Mundra, Pipavav and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust in Mumbai.
The announcement could be the first step in relaxing the ban totally, according to Vijay Sethia, President of the New Delhi based All India Rice Exporters Association. Pusa-1121 is grown mostly in north Indian states.
However, rice exporters demanded immediate withdrawal of the notification, saying that permitting Pusa-1121’s exports under the non-basmati category would degrade the value of the premium quality rice which is the world’s longest grain.
Sethia said that the Commerce Ministry’s notification is totally wrong. “It should be immediately recalled,” he said, adding that by declaring the Pusa 1121 variety as non-basmati, the Government has undermined the value of the premium variety.
Sethia feared that foreign buyers would not pay the price which Pusa 1121 was fetching in the international market if it continues to be treated as non-basmati. The scientists have already agreed that Pusa 1121 is basmati rice, he said, adding that the Punjab government has also issued a notification in April declaring Pusa 1121 as basmati rice.
– India Infoline, Sept 4, 2008 (updated on Sept.7 2008)
