Good News amid 4.0 Lockdown: Centre Sets up New Body to Promote Rice Exports

Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for Self-Reliant India, the agriculture ministry has come up with many new initiatives and step to cope up with the post-COVID-19 crisis.  In this series, the center has set up a new body – Rice Export Promotion Forum (REPF) to give further impetus to rice exports, under the aegis of the Agricultural and Processed Foods Export Promotion Development Authority (Apeda). India, the second largest producer of rice in the world and the only agri-commodity from India that maintained its competitiveness in the overseas market 

As per reports, rice, both basmati and non-basmati variety, is the largest commodity in India’s agri export basket which shipments stood at $7.77 billion in 2018-19, with basmati exports at $4.72 billion and non-basmati at $3.05 billion. However, the final export figures for 2019-20 are yet to be released by Apeda. 

Considering the importance of the export of rice, its inherent potentials and the multifarious issues, which are faced in the process, it is decided to constitute a Rice Export Promotion Forum,” said Apeda notification. 

As per the reports of Business Line, the new body will comprise representatives from the rice industry, exporters, and officials from Apeda, Commerce Ministry, Agriculture Ministry and Directors of Agriculture from major rice-producing states such as West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. 

“The EPF will make concerted efforts to identify, document particulars and reach out to stakeholders across the entire production/ supply chain of export of rice for increasing these exports significantly to the global market, through various interventions,” the notification said. 

Rice Production is touching a Record of 117.47 Million Tonnes 

India, the second-largest producer of rice in the world, has been the largest exporter of the cereal after the shipments of the non-basmati were allowed from 2011. 

India’s production has been going up steadily over the past several years. From around 96 million tonnes in 2010-11, rice production is seen touching a record 117.47 million tonnes in 2019-20, per Second Advance Estimates.