Exporters fear Pak, Thailand may capture basmati market share

Tribune News Service

Parveen Arora

Karnal, September 20

To safeguard their international market share, rice exporters of Haryana have urged the Centre to withdraw the price control order on the export of basmati.

The Union government recently fixed the minimum export price (MEP) of $1,200 per tonne, triggering fear among exporters that Pakistan and Thailand might take over the fragrant rice market share. Desperate, the exporters are approaching the government through different platforms to withdraw the restriction or reduce it to $850 a tonne.

Paddy is cultivated on around 36 lakh acres in the state and basmati is grown on around 35-40 per cent area. About 70 per cent basmati produced in Haryana is exported to over 150 countries, generating a revenue of around Rs 18,000-20,000 crore,…