Non-basmati exporters see opportunity amid Covid-19 as crops fail elsewhere

They are looking to tap exports in Africa, South East Asia as paddy crop in Tahiland and Vietnam fails, other exporting nations maintain buffer stocks

Indian non-basmati rice players have spotted export opportunities amid the unfolding Covid-19 crisis across the globe, especially in Southeast Asian and African nations.

The failure of non-basmati paddy crop in Vietnam and Thailand, coupled with major producing nations' attempt to buffer stocks to deal with the uncertain Covid-19 situation, has presented a lucrative playground for Indian exporters.

“Given all these factors and the fact that India currently has three times the rice buffer stock, we have a big opportunity to tap export destinations,” said Rajiv Kumar, executive director, The Rice Exporters Association (TREA). He said the central government should give incentives to