New Delhi, April 10 : The government has allowed exports of basmati and non-basmati rice to certain European countries without the mandatory certificate of inspection for a period of six months, according to an official notification issued on Friday.

The requirement for an inspection certificate, issued by the export inspection agency, will continue to apply only to European Union member states, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. All other European countries have been exempted from this requirement for the six-month period, the notification said.

The move is aimed at facilitating exports amid rising global demand for Indian rice.

Earlier, the government had said rice exports reached $12.95 billion in 2024-25, while exports of pulses and millets stood at $855 million and $59.20 million, respectively.

The figures highlight growing international demand for diversified and climate-resilient cereal crops, reinforcing Indiaâ??s role in global food and nutrition security.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had earlier noted that rice exports have grown by 62 per cent between 2014 and 2025.

Rice production in India is largely concentrated in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and West Bengal. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab are among the leading wheat-producing regions in the country.

Earlier in February, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and the World Food Programme (WFP) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the supply of rice in support of global humanitarian operations aimed at combating hunger. In this pact, FCI will supply 200,000 metric tonnes of rice (up to 25 per cent broken) to WFP.

The agreement will be valid for a period of five years from the date of signing and may be extended by mutual consent. The price will be mutually agreed on an annual basis, with the current price fixed at Rs 2,800 per quintal up to 31 March 2026.

/IANS