India is set to export 14,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice to Mauritius and 7,500 tonnes of onions to Qatar through the National Cooperative Exports Ltd. (NCEL). This decision comes after the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) requested relaxation in the export ban, which was imposed last July on non-basmati white rice and last December on onions due to concerns over food inflation.
The decision to export rice and onions to Mauritius and Qatar is part of India’s efforts to keep domestic prices in check amidst a shortfall in production. The government has also lifted the ban on onion exports but has imposed a minimum export price (MEP) of $550 per tonne and a 40% export duty to control domestic prices.
India has been supplying rice and onions to its key strategic countries at the government-to-government level since the export ban was imposed. In FY23, NCEL exported a record 2.5 million tonnes of onions. In the case of rice, the government cleared exports of 2.77 million tonnes (mt) of non-basmati white rice to 14 key Asian and African nations.
The government’s decision to export rice and onions to Mauritius and Qatar has been met with mixed reactions. Some experts believe that the move will help to reduce domestic prices and boost exports, while others worry that it could lead to further shortages in the domestic market.
The government has assured that it will continue to monitor the domestic supply and price situation and will take appropriate measures to ensure that domestic prices remain stable. The government has also urged farmers to increase their production of onions and other essential commodities to meet the growing demand.
