On July 20, India implemented an export ban on non-basmati white rice to address increasing domestic prices.
The ban led to reports and videos of panic buying and empty rice shelves at Indian grocery stores in the US and Canada, causing prices to rise.
India is the world’s leading rice exporter, accounting for approximately 40% of the global trade in rice.
Major buyers of Indian rice include China, the Philippines, and Nigeria.
India exported 22 million tonnes of rice to 140 countries last year, with six million tonnes being relatively cheaper Indica white rice.
