20% export duty woes: Parboiled rice exports fall over 80% in a month

Duty woes: Basmati rice exports down 30% from Aug 25 to Sep 20

The government’s decision to impose a 20 per cent export duty on parboiled rice and a $1,200 per tonne minimum export price (MEP) on basmati rice has pulled down overseas shipments of the former by almost 83 per cent and around 30 per cent of basmati exports in a month.

Data sourced from various trade agencies and shippers showed that between August 25 and September 20, export of basmati rice has shrunk from 342,605 tonnes in 2022 to around 241,083 tonnes in 2023.

Similarly, export of parboiled rice, after the imposition of 20 per cent duty during the same