Dubai rice market defies Indian ban on exports



DUBAI // Sales of rice illegally exported from India are flourishing in the markets of Dubai although popular varieties cost more than twice the price they fetched before New Delhi banned exports. The Indian government said yesterday its ban on exporting non-basmati rice was likely to remain in place for at least three months, but expatriate Indian traders in Dubai said it was easy to circumvent.

The ban was imposed last month to protect India's domestic supplies amid fears of a food crisis and mounting inflation. Businessmen in the UAE, however, are still selling popular Indian rice. Although it costs more than twice the normal price, Indian residents, especially South Indians, are snapping it up as they prepare for Onam, next month's annual harvest festival. South Indians say they are prepared to buy the smuggled rice for the Sept 12 festival despite the high prices. "The Onam festival is coming and it is colourless without Indian rice," said Anish Nambiar, a resident of Dubai. "An Onam without our favourite rice is not imaginable. Most people are buying and stocking up rice in preparation for the festival."

Experts warned last month that supplies of Indian non-basmati rice were drying up and would not last more than 10 days. Premium rice has vanished from supermarket shelves in the UAE. "We do not have the Indian non-basmati rice any more as it is mostly out of stock," said a spokesman for the LuLu supermarket group. "New stocks are not available as India has banned export of this commodity." Other supermarket chains have confirmed that Indian rice is unavailable and the rice on their shelves is mostly from Thailand, Vietnam and Egypt. But popular Indian varieties of non-basmati are available in shops in Deira, Bur Dubai and other areas; some is from old stocks and some is still coming from India, in defiance of the ban.

One trader said Indian businessmen were circumventing the ban. "Rice is exported on the pretext of rice powder or some other commodity," he said. "It is easy to do this." News of Indian rice for sale usually spreads in the community in Dubai by word of mouth. Premium rice is said to be available in 5kg, 20kg and 50kg bags at some shops. Traders said a 20kg bag of popular Thanjavoor Ponni rice could be bought for Dh145 (US$39.50), compared with Dh50 before the export ban, but the price was still rising fast.

Mota rice, another popular variety, is selling for Dh76, more than twice the price two months ago. Some Indians said shopkeepers were stockpiling Mota rice in anticipation of big sales before the Onam festival. "Shopkeepers tell us that they will not sell the rice now but will save it for Onam when they can charge much more," said Santosh Ravi, a Dubai resident. The UAE traditionally imports more than 750,000 tonnes of rice a year, mainly from India and Pakistan, but also from Thailand and Egypt.

The Indian ban has made importers look further afield in Asia for new supplies. However, it has caused panic buying and the price of Thai rice, which the UAE is now importing in increasing quantities, has risen 135 per cent. According to reports last month, UAE imports of Thai rice reached US$19.4 million (Dh72.3m) in the first three months of the year, compared with $8.3 million in the same period last year.

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Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
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Name: Lamsa

Founder: Badr Ward

Launched: 2014

Employees: 60

Based: Abu Dhabi

Sector: EdTech

Funding to date: $15 million

THE SPECS

Engine: AMG-enhanced 3.0L inline-6 turbo with EQ Boost and electric auxiliary compressor

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Power: 429hp

Torque: 520Nm​​​​​​​

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Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group

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Based: Dubai

Launch year: 2017

Number of employees: 90

Sector: Online gaming industry

Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor

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ICC Awards for 2021

MEN

Cricketer of the Year – Shaheen Afridi (Pakistan)

T20 Cricketer of the Year – Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)

ODI Cricketer of the Year – Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Test Cricketer of the Year – Joe Root (England)

WOMEN

Cricketer of the Year – Smriti Mandhana (India)

ODI Cricketer of the Year – Lizelle Lee (South Africa)

T20 Cricketer of the Year – Tammy Beaumont (England)

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7.30pm: Handicap (TB) |  Dh100,000 |  1,600m
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Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Developer: Treyarch, Raven Software
Publisher:  Activision
Console: PlayStation 4 & 5, Windows, Xbox One & Series X/S
Rating: 3.5/5

How to get there

Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
 

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Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh

3.5/5

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

The biog

Name: Dr Lalia Al Helaly 

Education: PhD in Sociology from Cairo

Favourite authors: Elif Shafaq and Nizar Qabbani.

Favourite music: classical Arabic music such as Um Khalthoum and Abdul Wahab,

She loves the beach and advises her clients to go for meditation.


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