India has granted a six-month extension allowing exports of broken rice to Senegal and Gambia through November 30, 2024, according to a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade on Friday.
The move comes after the government banned outbound shipments of broken rice in September 2022 to augment domestic supplies.
However, the ban was amended in May 2023 to permit exports on a case-by-case basis to nations facing food security challenges upon request from their governments.
In a notification dated November 30, 2023, India had initially authorised exports of a specified quantity of broken rice to the two West African nations via state entity NCEL (Navratna Co-operative Enterprises Ltd).
Friday’s amendment extends this approval window for another six months until November 30, 2024.
The extension aims to ‘meet the food security demands’ of Senegal and Gambia, the notification stated, without specifying any quantities.
India is the world’s biggest exporter of rice and the policy changes are intended adequate domestic stocks while addressing humanitarian needs in food-deficit regions.
Official data on quantities and values of the approved exports to Senegal and Gambia were not immediately available.
The government continues to monitor the domestic supply situation and global price movements to calibrate export policies, industry analysts said.