New Delhi, April 10 – The government has allowed the export of basmati and non-basmati rice to certain European countries without the mandatory inspection certificate for a period of six months, according to an official notification issued on Friday.
The requirement for an inspection certificate, issued by the export inspection agency, will continue to apply only to member states of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. All other European countries have been exempted from this requirement for the six-month period, the notification said.
This move is aimed at facilitating exports in the face of rising global demand for Indian rice.
Earlier, the government had stated that rice exports reached $12.95 billion in 2024-25, while exports of pulses and millets stood at $855 million and $59.20 million, respectively.
These figures highlight the growing international demand for diversified and climate-resilient cereal crops, further solidifying India's role in global food and nutrition security.
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had previously noted that rice exports had grown by 62 per cent between 2014 and 2025.
Rice production in India is largely concentrated in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and West Bengal. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab are among the leading wheat-producing regions in the country.
In February, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the World Food Programme (WFP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to supply rice in support of global humanitarian operations aimed at combating hunger. Under this agreement, FCI will supply 200,000 metric tonnes of rice (up to 25 per cent broken) to WFP.
The agreement will be valid for a period of five years from the date of signing and may be extended by mutual consent. The price will be mutually agreed upon annually, with the current price fixed at Rs 2,800 per quintal up to March 31, 2026.
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