Rice shortages have been reported across the US after India announced a ban on exports of non-basmati white rice. People have started competing to buy rice in advance. In response to rising demand, many stores have placed restrictions on the number of bags of rice customers can buy.

US-based Aruna said she scoured the local Patel Brothers, Apna Bazaar, Lotte Plaza and other South Asian grocery stores in the US for Sona Masori rice. After a lot of effort, he got only one bag of rice. She said she visited more than 10 shops to buy rice, but was disappointed. He said that he started looking for Sona Masori at 9 am and by 4 pm found a bag of rice at three times the normal price. Across the US some people like Aruna managed to bring home sacks of rice, while many others reported restrictions on purchases

India had on July 20 banned the export of non-basmati white rice to shore up domestic supplies and keep retail prices in check during the upcoming festivals. Prices spiked after top exporter India imposed curbs, adding to the strain on global food markets already beset by inclement weather and worsening conditions.

The ban on the export of non-basmati white rice is reminiscent of infant formula shortages in the US following the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war. A large number of Indian expatriates live in the cities where the maximum shortage of rice has been detected in America. In addition, the impact of the ban is being felt at big-box warehouses in the US as well. Sapna Foods in Maryland, which typically ships rice to more than a hundred retail stores and restaurants in DC, Maryland and Virginia or the DMV area. At the same time, bulk demand is also coming from neighboring states like New Jersey and others.

Tarun Sardana, a wholesaler near Baltimore, said on Tuesday that demand for rice had shot up as soon as news of the ban broke on Thursday last week. He said that the maximum number of calls are coming for Sona Masori rice. The demand was even higher on weekends. By Monday morning everyone was trying to get as much South Indian rice as possible from the godowns.

Sardana said he stocks several different brands of rice in his warehouse, most of which come from India, but most of what he sells is basmati rice, a premium grade rice that is not covered by the export ban. Is. But the demand for banned rice is more than these.

Let me tell you, in September last year, the price of one metric ton of non-basmati rice in India was around $ 330. According to the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, people in India are paying 11.5 per cent more for rice than a year ago.

Veena Mehrotra, an Indian restaurateur in the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia) area, said basmati supplies could also be affected in the coming days.