**Summary:**
This Trade Notice No. 23/2023, issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, on August 18, 2023, clarifies aspects of the export policy amendment regarding Non-basmati white rice (HS Code 1006 30 90).
The original Notification No. 20/2023, dated July 20, 2023, changed the export policy of Non-basmati white rice from "Free" to "Prohibited." While the transitional arrangement under Para 1.05 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023 was not applicable, certain consignments were permitted for export until August 31, 2023, under specific conditions related to loading, berthing, and customs processing prior to the July 20, 2023 notification.
This notice addresses representations from stakeholders, including Customs Authorities, seeking clarification on whether the conditions (i, ii, and iii) outlined in Para 2 of the July 20, 2023 notification are independent or cumulative. This Trade Notice clarifies that these conditions are independent of each other. Export is permissible if the exporter fulfills any one of the conditions specified in Para 2 of the aforementioned notification.
For further information, contact S.K. Mohapatra, Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, at mohapatra.sk@nic.in. The notice was issued from F. No. 019117135/AM20/Efile/Part-2/E-35458.
Key Entities Referenced
Directorate General of Foreign Trade: An agency of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, responsible for implementing the Foreign Trade Policy.
Nonbasmati white rice: A specific type of rice, the export policy of which is being amended in the notice.
HS Code 1006 30 90: The Harmonized System code for Nonbasmati white rice, used for customs and trade purposes.
Foreign Trade Policy, 2023: A set of guidelines and regulations governing India's import and export activities.
All Regional Authorities of DGFT: The regional offices of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
All Customs Commissionerate: The offices responsible for customs administration and enforcement.
Notification No. 20/2023 dated 20.07.2023: The original notification that amended the export policy of Nonbasmati white rice.
S.K. Mohapatra: Joint Director General of Foreign Trade, the issuing authority of the trade notice.
Government of India
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Department of Commerce
Directorate General of Foreign Trade
Date: 18" August, 2023
Trade Notice No. 23 /2023
To
1. All Regional Authorities of DGFT
2. All Customs Commissionerate
3. Members of Trade
Subject: Amendment of export policy of Non-basmati white rice (HS Code 1006 30 90).
Export Policy of Non-basmati white rice (Semi-milled or wholly milled rice, whether or not
polished or glazed: Other) under HS code 1006 30 90 has been amended from ‘Free’ to ‘Prohibited’
vide Notification No. 20/2023 dated 20.07.2023.
2: The provisions as under Para 1.05 of the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023 regarding transitional
arrangement was not made applicable however, consignments of Non-basmati rice was allowed to be
exported under following conditions:
i. _ where loading of Non-basmati rice on the ship has commenced before this Notification;
ii. where the shipping bill is filed and vessels have already berthed or arrived and anchored in
Indian ports and their rotation number has been allocated before this Notification; The approval
of loading in such vessels will be issued only after confirmation by the concerned Port
Authorities regarding anchoring/berthing of the ship for loading of Non-basmati rice prior to the
Notification;
iii. | where Non-basmati rice consignment has been handed over to the Customs/custodian before
this Notification and is registered in their systems/ where Non-basmati rice consignment has
entered the Customs station for exportation before this Notification and is registered in the
electronic systems of the concerned €ustodian of the Customs station with verifiable evidence
of date and time stamping of these commodities having entered the Customs Station prior to
20.07.2023. The period of export shall be upto 31.08.2023.
35 This Directorate has received various representations from stakeholders including Customs
Authorities seeking clarification with regard to condition (i), (ii) & (iii) of Para- 2 of Notification dt
20.07.2023 that whether all the three conditions are independent of each other or exporter has to fulfil
all the conditions together.
4. In this regard, it is clarified that condition (i), (ii) & (iii) of Para- 2 of Notification dt
20.07.2023 are independent of each other and export is allowed in case of completion of any one of the
conditions of Para-2 of Notification dt. 20.07.2023, by the exporter.
This issues with the approval of competent authority. aig fe
(S.K. Mohapatra)
Joint Director General of Foreign Trade
E-mail: mohapatra.sk@nic.in
(Issued from F. No. 01/91/171/35/AM20/E-file/Part-2/E-35458)