India bans broken rice export

India‍‍`s ban on the export of broken rice formally came into effect Friday, officials said. 

According to a notification issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Thursday evening, the export policy of broken rice is revised from free to prohibited. 

Officials said the move aims to increase domestic availability and keep local prices under control, reports Xinhua.  

On Thursday, the Indian government announced the imposition of 20 per cent export duty on non-basmati rice except for parboiled rice to boost domestic supplies. 

Experts said the ban on India‍‍`s rice shipments will push global food prices higher and exacerbate global food inflation. The world is already facing upward pressure on food prices, which are already rising because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, drought and heat waves. 

India reportedly accounts for 40 percent of global rice shipments.