iGrain India - India's rice exports saw a decline of about 10 percent during the first seven months of the 2024-25 financial year (April to October), compared to the same period in the previous year.
According to the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), India exported 9.01 million tonnes of rice during this period, down from 9.93 million tonnes in 2023. This reduction is attributed to the government's long-term ban on the export of white rice.
While the export of Basmati rice increased by 6.35 lakh tonnes (from 26.08 lakh tonnes to 32.43 lakh tonnes), exports of non-Basmati rice declined by approximately 15.48 lakh tonnes, dropping from 73.18 lakh tonnes to 57.69 lakh tonnes.
The export ban on non-Basmati white rice, implemented in July 2023, had a significant impact on these figures. Though the ban persisted until August 2024, the export of non-Basmati rice resumed in September, and its shipments are expected to rise sharply.
Additionally, the government lifted a 20 percent export duty on Sela rice, which is expected to further boost rice exports, especially between November 2024 and March 2025. As a result, total rice exports for the 2024-25 financial year are expected to surpass those of the previous year.