China asks India For Rice For First Time In Decades
Dated : 03 Dec 2020 (IST)
India is the world’s biggest exporter of rice and China is the biggest importer. Beijing imports around 4 million tons of rice annually but has avoided purchases from India, citing quality issues.
However this year China’s traditional suppliers, such as Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Pakistan, have limited surplus supplies for export and were quoting at least $30 per tons more compared with Indian prices, according to Indian rice trade officials.
So China seeing no alternative had to turn to India. It has started importing Indian rice for the first time in at least three decades due to tightening supplies and an offer from India of sharply discounted prices,said Indian industry officials.
Indian traders have contracted to export 100,000 tons of broken rice for December-February shipments at around $300 per tons.
The breakthrough comes at a time when political tensions between the two countries are high because of a border dispute in the Himalayas.
“For the first time China has made rice purchases. They may increase buying next year after seeing the quality of Indian crop,” said B.V. Krishna Rao, president of the Rice Exporters Association.
Indian traders have contracted to export 100,000 tons of broken rice for December -February shipments at around $300 per ton, industry officials said.
