Indian rice companies confident about steady shipments despite Trump threat

Rice firms on Tuesday said they were confident about steady shipments abroad since India, the world’s largest exporter, catered to a well-diversified market, making the business resilient to shocks, comments made in response to President Donald Trump’s fresh signal he could impose new tariffs on the Indian grain.

- Zia Haq

At a White House event, President Trump said he would “take care” of alleged dumping of Indian rice into the US even as a trade deal between the two countries remained elusive amid protracted negotiations.

“With the imposition of a 50% tariff, the duty has risen by 40 percentage points. Despite this sharp hike, exports have continued, reflecting the product's essential nature in the consumer basket,” a spokesperson for the Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation said.

Indian rice in the US is predominantly consumed by communities of the Gulf (countries) and Subcontinent ethnicity, and demand continued to “expand steadily”, the group said.