The Government of India has lifted a ban on international exports of non-basmati white rice and set a minimum export price (MEP) of 490 US dollars per tonne. The ban, which had been in place since July 20, 2023, was originally imposed to increase domestic rice availability. Huge rice shipments from India could bolster global supplies and push down prices, forcing other major exporters to lower their rates. Thami Ngubeni spoke to Senior Economist at the Trade Research Unit Markets and Economic Research Division National Agricultural Marketing Council, Thabile Nkunjana (Mr.)