How has India’s rice export ban affected African and Asian retail prices?

India, the world’s top rice exporter, declared an export ban on non-basmati non-parboiled white rice in July 2023, causing concerns on food security across the globe. As many African countries import more than 100,000 MT of non-basmati white rice from India, the continent became vulnerable to India’s trade restrictions.

Researchers at the International Rice Research Institute and their collaborators studied how key rice markets in Africa moved nine months before and after the trade ban. According to their research, price increases were generally smaller in Africa compared to Asia. Among the factors that they observed include the pre-existing government-to-government trades that continue to be implemented despite the ban, the relatively favorable weather conditions in Africa relative to Southeast Asia, and that the demand in Asia is less affected by price and income changes because most Asian countries are wealthier and depend on rice as their staple food.

Read the study: Antonio, R.J.S.; Mishra A.K.; Dawe, D.; Pede, V.O. (2025) India’s export restrictions and response of African and Asian retail rice prices. Food Policy Vol 132 Issue Apr 2025 | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102832