Revoke ban on rice exports, urge non-resident Tamils
The ban has had a significant impact on the availability of boiled rice, a staple food for Tamils residing outside India
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COIMBATORE: The Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Board, an organisation committed to the welfare of the Tamil diaspora around the world, has expressed deep concern over the recent ban on rice exports from India.
The ban has had a significant impact on the availability of boiled rice, a staple food for Tamils residing outside India.
“Boiled rice is a key ingredient in the preparation of traditional dishes that are integral to our culture and heritage. Its ban has disrupted the supply chain, making it increasingly difficult for Tamils living abroad to get specific varieties of rice. This has posed a serious challenge to preserving our culinary traditions among non-resident Tamils,” said Karthikeya Sivasenaapathy, chairman of the Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Board.
Therefore, the Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Board has urged the Union government to reconsider the rice ban by taking into account the cultural significance of rice for the Tamil community.
“Immediate measures should be taken to ensure a steady supply of rice to Tamil communities worldwide, particularly the varieties essential for our traditional dishes. Though the importance of export restrictions on rice to ensure domestic food security and stability has been understood, a balanced approach should be adopted to safeguard the interest of Tamils living abroad,” he added.
The Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Board has also announced its desire to engage in constructive dialogue with the Indian government and other stakeholders to find a solution to ensure the continued availability of boiled rice for the Tamil diaspora living in countries worldwide.
Meanwhile, the millers sounded positive that the ban was likely to be a temporary measure and would be lifted soon. “A bumper crop is expected in the samba harvest during January in other parts of the country, even if the yield is down in the Delta region due to water scarcity. Eventually, the ban will then be removed,” said Dr AC Mohan, secretary of the Federation of Tamil Nadu Rice Mill Owners and Paddy Rice Dealers Association.
Tamil Nadu requires 91 lakh MT of rice annually, of which our production is around 70 lakh MT and from this five to ten lakh MT is sent to Kerala, while the remaining is meant for our consumption.
“Arrivals from other states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and West Bengal are around 35 lakh MT to 40 lakh MT. There will be at least five lakh MT of either paddy or rice in surplus in the market. Therefore, there is no possibility of a scarcity. Over the last ten years, the general trend is that prices will dip by one or two rupees at the time of harvest. It’s mainly because of the Ukraine war; the rice export from India rose up phenomenally in the months of April, May, and June, but was curtailed by the ban on exports,” Mohan added.
