(Adds details)
NEW DELHI, Sept 5 (Reuters) - India on Friday allowed
immediate exports of a premium grade of rice, the government
said, a day after it decided to allow overseas sales of the
variety only from Oct. 15.
Summer-sown paddy normally starts coming to the market in
mid-October but traders said the decision would allow them to
quickly start working on export deals for the the long-grained,
aromatic Pusa-1121 grade.
It will also allow exports of the premium grade for some part
of the crop that is harvested early, the government statement
said.
The move is expected to release up to 1 million tonnes of
premium rice in the year to Sept. 2009 for exports and ease
supply concerns. But sales from Thailand are expected to fall
once India steps up supply. See [ID:nDEL39875].
Apart from the Pusa-1121 variety, India only allows basmati
rice to be exported and the shipment of regular grades is banned.
The ban is expected to be reviewed in November.
(Reporting by Himangshu Watts; Editing by Mark Williams)
(([email protected] +91 11 4178 1017 Reuters
Messaging: [email protected]))
Keywords: INDIA RICE/