India allows non-basmati white rice shipments trapped at ports

India has allowed traders to ship out their non-basmati white rice cargoes sitting at ports due to a sudden ban on exports of the category, a government order said late on Tuesday.
On July 20, India surprised buyers by banning exports of widely consumed non-basmati white rice to control rising domestic prices. The move followed a ban on broken rice exports last year.
The export ban trapped thousands of tonnes of non-basmati white rice at ports, leaving traders facing losses.
The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), a unit of the trade ministry, in its latest order said it would allow shipments of trapped cargoes provided traders paid the export duty by July 20, when the ban was imposed.
Before the July ban on non-basmati white rice exports, overseas shipments of the grade would attract a 20% tax.