Gambiaj.com – (DELHI, India) – The Indian government has extended the deadline for exporting broken rice to The Gambia and Senegal through NCEL by six months, now set to November 30, 2024. This decision comes in response to requests from the two African nations.

This extension allows The Gambia and Senegal additional time to import the necessary rice from India, ensuring they can meet their demand and secure food supplies for their citizens.

Due to production and food security concerns within India, the government banned the export of non-basmati white rice on September 8, 2022, and further tightened this measure on July 20, 2023. However, the export policy for other rice categories remained unchanged to ensure Indian farmers benefit from international prices.

On May 24, India amended the ban to permit shipments to The Gambia and Senegal to address their food security needs, following requests from their governments. This partnership underscores the importance of international cooperation in tackling global food security issues and fostering sustainable development.

By amending a notification dated November 30, 2023, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade stated that the period for “export of broken rice for the quantity already notified to The Gambia and Senegal through NCEL has been extended for a further six months up to November 30, 2024.”