India defers certificate requirement for rice export to European countries

India deferred the requirement to July 1, 2021

India on Tuesday deferred the requirement of obtaining a certificate of inspection from a government agency to ship both basmati and non-basmati rice to European countries to July 1, 2021.

Earlier the date was January 1 next year.

A notification dated August 10 is "amended to the extent that export of rice (basmati and non-basmati) to EU member states and other European countries - Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland only will require Certificate of Inspection from EIA/EIC".

Export to remaining European countries (except Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) will require Certificate of Inspection by Export Inspection Council (EIC)/Export Inspection Agency (EIA) for export "from July 1, 2021," the directorate said.

India, the world's top rice exporter, exports about 3 lakh tonnes of basmati rice to the EU.

The Export Inspection Council (EIC) is the official export certification body of India which ensures quality and safety of products exported from India.

The Export Inspection Agencies (EIAs) under the council are located at Mumbai, Kolkata, Kochi, Delhi and Chennai.