Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Tuesday said that India has decided to allow exports of rice to Singapore to meet the food requirements. "India and Singapore enjoy a very close strategic partnership, characterized by shared interests, close economic ties and strong people to people connect, said the MEA in a statement. The Singaporean authorities had been in close contact with Indian authorities to seek exemption from the country's ban on export of non-basmati rice, Singapore Food Agency said on Friday.
"Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is working closely with importers to increase the import of different varieties of rice from various sources. Singapore is also in close contact with the Indian authorities to seek exemption from the ban," it said in a statement.
India had banned the exports of non-basmati white rice on July 20 to strengthen domestic supply and keep retail prices under check during the upcoming festive season.
Non-basmati white rice constitutes about 25 per cent of total rice exported from the country.
In 2022, India accounted for about 40 per cent of Singapore's imported rice, said the agency. Singapore imports rice from more than 30 countries.
As per Singapore's Rice Stockpile Scheme, rice importers must hold a buffer inventory equivalent to twice of their monthly imports. This helps ensure an adequate supply of rice in the market, the SFA said in its statement.
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The countries that are expected to be hit by the non-basmati rice ban include African nations, Turkey, Syria, Pakistan among others.
In the first quarter of the current fiscal, about 15.54 lakh tonnes of white rice was exported from India against only 11.55 lakh tonne in the year-ago period, which means an increase by 35 per cent.