India decides to allow rice export to Singapore: MEA

India on Wednesday decided to permit the export of rice to Singapore due to the “special relationship” between the two countries and to fulfill the food security needs of Singapore, according to a statement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Arindam Bagchi, the official spokesperson for MEA, highlighted the strong strategic partnership, economic ties, and people-to-people connections shared by India and Singapore. He stated that in consideration of this special relationship, India has chosen to allow rice export to address Singapore’s food security requirements. Bagchi responded to media inquiries on this matter on Tuesday.

Bagchi further mentioned that formal orders concerning this decision will be released shortly.

Recently, on August 27, India implemented additional measures to safeguard the export of basmati rice, aiming to prevent the export of non-basmati white rice, which is currently restricted.

Reports had surfaced regarding the misclassification and unauthorized export of non-basmati white rice. The government had identified instances where non-basmati white rice was being exported under codes meant for parboiled rice and basmati rice.

It’s noteworthy that the export of non-basmati white rice had been prohibited from July 20 to stabilize domestic prices and ensure domestic food security. Despite restrictions on specific varieties, rice exports had remained high during the current year.

To address this, the central government, on July 20, made amendments to the rice export norms, categorizing non-basmati white rice as “prohibited.” The export policy for this type of rice, including semi-milled or wholly milled rice (whether polished or glazed), shifted from “free” to “prohibited” immediately, as per a notification from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

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