In the first tender for supply of 50,000 tonnes of parboiled rice floated by Bangladesh government, which is likely to buy over 5 lakh tonnes (lt) in tranches, Pattabhi Agro Food of India has emerged as the lowest bidder after quoting $ 477/tonne (CIF) at Chattogram and Mongla ports. The food ministry of Bangladesh has floated another tender for 50,000 tonnes on November 4 which will be opened on November 18.

Indian rice exporters said that the recent decisions on removing the minimum export price (MEP) of $490/tonne and also the abolition of export duty have helped them to able to compete globally.

Halder Venture, another bidder participated in the tender, had quoted $499.77/tonne, trade sources said adding it had offered to supply rice from any of four origins -- India, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. The competition was so intense that one Bagadiya Brothers, had offered to supply at 477.77/tonne, which is $ 0.77/tonne (or ₹65/tonne) higher from the lowest bidder, sources said.

Among other bidders, SAEL Agri Commodities quoted $ 494.45/tonne, Agrocorp International $490.56/tonne and Aditya Birla Global Trading (Singapore) $479.50/tonne, sources said.

On October 20, the food ministry of Bangladesh had floated the first global tender for supply of 50,000 tonnes of non-Basmati parboiled rice, 30,000 tonnes at Chattogram and 20,000 tonnes at Mongla ports on CIF Liner Out term. “Cost of the Cargo, Insurance and Freight including Stevedoring, Overside Handling and Lightering are on seller’s account,”it had said. The second tender has also same conditions of delivery as in the first tender.

India’s non-Basmati rice exports until September 30 (since April 1) in the current fiscal have reached 46.52 lt (worth $2.25 billion) as against 68.81 lt ($2.7 billion) year-ago, mainly due to the ban on shipments of white raw rice as well as 20 per cent export tax on parboiled variety.

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