Industry Odisha Bureau, Sep 24: Indian rice exporters face tougher mill-level approvals abroad. They now seek reciprocal measures on imported agricultural and food items. FSSAI data shows India already rejects non-compliant consignments on food safety grounds.
Tariffs no longer decide agricultural market access on their own. Registration, certification, testing and traceability increasingly shape who can sell abroad. Several importing countries now grant approvals to specific Indian rice mills. In response, some Indian exporters seek reciprocal measures on selected agricultural and food imports.
Indian Rice Exports Bring Reciprocity Into Focus
China has rejected some Indian rice consignments over alleged contamination with genetically modified organisms. China’s agency GACC has removed some Indian companies from its approved list in recent months. This does not amount to a ban on Indian rice. A Haryana-based rice exporter argued India should act against foreign firms after rejections.
FSSAI Rejections Show Existing Controls
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India routinely rejects non-conforming imports. It also turns away consignments containing harmful substances. Its Food Import Rejection Alert (FIRA) portal records these laboratory-based rejections. FIRA data shows 411 items from 42 countries rejected in one cited period. The count reached 619 items from 57 countries in 2022-23. It fell to 277 items from 46 countries in 2023-24. However, it remains unclear whether rejections trigger permit suspensions for suppliers.
China Tops 2023-24 Food Import Rejections
China accounted for the most rejected consignments in 2023-24, at 28. These included confectionery, dried fruit, canned mushrooms and seaweed. Turkey followed with 27, including dried figs and fresh apples. The UK recorded 19 rejections, while the US recorded 12. These counts reflect failed consignments, not import bans or total trade.
Exporters Propose Risk-Based Registration
Mukesh Jain, president of The Rice Exporters Association (CG), has outlined a proposal. He wants the government to examine a “reciprocal, transparent and risk-based” registration framework. It would cover overseas agricultural and food-processing establishments supplying selected products to India. Jain stressed it is not meant to restrict legitimate imports or create trade barriers. Its stated aims are food safety, quality assurance, traceability, reciprocity and fair trade. The framework remains an industry suggestion, not government policy.
Rice Mill Approval Systems Expand Overseas
Approval lists are not always punitive. Earlier this month, India’s agri export promotion body shared a Saudi Arabia list. It named 778 Indian rice exporters and millers approved by Saudi Arabia. Approval, however, does not mean all of them actively export there. China’s recent removals show how such lists can also narrow access.
Standards Join Tariffs in Shaping Agricultural Trade
Jain noted Indian exporters must meet overseas registration, certification, testing, inspection and traceability rules. Such technical standards increasingly influence agricultural market access alongside tariffs. Food policy expert S Chandrasekaran sees limits to regulatory protection. He argues technology adoption offers a longer-term solution for food trade.
A Regulatory Question for India
India already tests imported food and rejects consignments that fall short. Exporters now want establishment-level reciprocity added to that toolkit. Reciprocity need not mean identical rules for every foreign supplier. The government has not adopted the proposal. The debate now centres on balancing food safety with open agricultural trade.
