The government has allowed the export of non-basmati rice stuck at ports and it will be applicable to traders who have paid duty before the ban was imposed on July 20.

Traders estimate that around 150,000 tonnes of non-basmati cargoes would be shipped out of various ports following the DGFT clarification.

On July 20, India surprised buyers by banning exports of widely consumed non-basmati white rice to control rising domestic prices.

India is the world’s biggest rice exporter and the ban has pushed global prices of the staple higher.

While notifying this ban, the DGFT had specified about certain consignments which can be exported.

In “relaxation” of DGFT’s notification dated July 20, “export of non-basmati white rice is allowed when export duty is paid before 21:57:01 hours on July 20,” the directorate has said in a notification dated August 29.

If the consignment has been handed over to the customs before 21:57:01 hours on July 20 and is registered in the customs system for exportation before this specified time or is registered in the electronic systems of the concerned custodian of the customs station with verifiable evidence of date and time, those consignments are allowed up to October 30.

The export of this variety increased to 42.12 lakh tonnes in the September-March period of 2022-23 from 33.66 lakh tonnes during the September-March period of the previous fiscal.