India’s Rice Curbs Raise Fear of Price Surge in Morocco

India’s decision to ban non-basmati white rice exports to curb domestic inflation raised fears in African countries, including Morocco, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, and Togo, over a possible rise in rice prices, reported international media outlets.
As major customers of India, these nations will now have to seek alternative sources of supply to meet their needs.
Thailand and Vietnam are among the world’s leading rice exporters and represent potential alternatives for these African countries. However, with increased demand from these new customers, it is likely that rice tariffs will also increase in these Asian countries, as what happened recently with Vietnamese broken rice reaching its highest level in 12 years.
Morocco, which also relies on rice imports, is likely to experience higher prices in the coming months. India’s decision and harsh weather conditions, such as flooding and the El Niño phenomenon, could lead to pressure on global rice supplies.