Kalanamak rice, a premium non-basmati variety from Uttar Pradesh, is set to receive an exemption from the export ban, potentially making it the first of its kind to do so. An inter-ministerial panel has reportedly approved this proposal, with an official notification expected by March 15. The decision comes in response to requests from the Uttar Pradesh government amid farmer concerns over not receiving favorable prices. It's anticipated that around 50 tonnes of Kalanamak rice could be exported in the coming months following this exemption. In the 2021-22 period, about 21 tonnes of this variety were exported.
Kalanamak rice is renowned for its black husk and strong fragrance, attributed to Lord Buddha's gift to the people of the Sravasti region. It carries a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for being cultivated in specific districts of Uttar Pradesh. The Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) released two varieties, Pusa Narendra Kalanamak 1638 and 1652, in 2022. Exports of both basmati and non-basmati rice have declined by 27% to 13.23 million tonnes during the April-January period of the current fiscal year due to export curbs, with non-basmati rice exports experiencing a steeper decline of 37% to 9.13 million tonnes. The government's measures to ensure food security and control prices have included banning exports of broken rice, imposing a 20% duty on white rice, banning white rice exports, levying a 20% export duty on parboiled rice, and setting a $950 per tonne minimum export price for basmati shipments. The potential exemption for Kalanamak rice marks a significant policy decision, recognizing the importance of specialty rice varieties alongside basmati rice. The agriculture ministry has also notified grading and marketing rules for five premium non-basmati rice varieties from West Bengal, indicating a shift towards promoting regional specialty rice varieties.