Mauritius looking to revive rice ties with India to ease out Pakistan
Mauritius plans long-term rice import deals with India for about 33,000 tonnes to support its subsidised food programme and reduce reliance on Pakistan, which gained market share during India’s 2023 export ban. With the ban lifted, Mauritius aims to restore India as its primary supplier, reinforcing recent strengthened bilateral ties.
Mauritius is looking to enter into long -term deals with India for import of around 33,000 tonnes of rice to keep its subsidised food programme running and to ease out Pakistan, which has become a significant supplier of the staple food to the country, Takesh Luckho, chairman of Mauritius State Trading Corporation, said.
Speaking on the sidelines of a global rice conference, Luckho told a select group of reporters that Pakistan became a significant rice supplier after India banned non-basmati rice exports in 2023 to cool down domestic markets.
He said before the ban, the majority of the rice was supplied by India through long-term deals.
However, after the ban, the Mauritius government started a process of open tendering, which is when Pakistan tried capturing the market. He said that they are now seeking to reverse this as India has lifted the ban. Pakistan is India’s major rival in the world rice market.
“Though, some amount of rice was supplied from government-to-government deals even during the ban, but it was not enough,” Luckho said.
Mauritius annually requires around 1,000 tonnes of basmati rice and 32,000 tonnes of non-basmati white rice.
The country, since its formative years, has been supplying non-basmati white rice to its 1.3 million people at a highly subsidised rate as a welfare measure.
A 2.5-kilogram packet of white rice sold to beneficiaries is priced at around 26 Mauritian rupees (one Mauritian rupee is equivalent to around 1.94 Indian rupees).
“The same packet in the open market costs around 56 Mauritian rupees,” Luckho said.
The bilateral ties between the two countries were further strengthened following the recent visit of Mauritian Prime Minister Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam to India.
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Source : Business Standard
