Basmati Exports Up On Global Demand

Matt Hopkins Postado por Matt Hopkins|7 de outubro de 2008

While non-basmati varieties dropped by 31% in the crop year ending September 2008 due to an export ban, India’s basmati rice exports are estimated to have risen by 13%. Official estimates put basmati rice exports during the 2007/08 season (October-September) at 1.19 million tons (MT), compared with 1.05 MT in the previous season.

However, based on the no-objection certificate issued by the Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA), exports of non-Basmati rice are estimated to have declined to 3.2 MT from 4.67 MT. A ban on shipments from April 2008 contributed to this decrease, as well as other restrictions such as the imposition of a minimum export price (MEP) introduced at the beginning of the season in October 2007. No shipments were allowed for a six month period during the 2007/08 season.

All India Rice Exporters Association President Vijay Sethia said the shipment increased as the world had a shortage of the grain last year; he also demanded that the government should either remove the MEP on Basmati or reduce it to compete with Pakistan, which has withdrawn the MEP on prospects of a better harvest. A ban on all rice exports was put in place in October 2007, but was lifted on Basmati rice following protests by traders, exporters, and farmers.

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