Global rice markets in turmoil as India bans export of non-basmati

Social media has been abuzz for the past few days with viral videos of people stocking rice bags in the US and the UK, and stores restricting supplies of Indian rice

India’s decision to ban the export of non-basmati white rice has pushed up global prices, prompting multilateral lending agencies, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to call for a reconsideration of the move.

Though nothing has been spelled out yet officially, sources said, the government might consider requests for government-to-government sale of non-basmati white rice, especially to West African nations where India is a major supplier.

Also, traders and exporters of specialty regional rice varieties like sona masuri or gobindo bhog feel that they have been short-changed. Their varieties are sometimes priced at par with basmati rice or even