The country's ban on certain varieties of non-Basmati rice is having an adverse effect on South Asians living 8,000 miles away.
Miguel Ramirez, second from right, and another man cook Wednesday March 15, 2023, in the kitchen at Aga’s Restaurant in Houston.
India's ban on non-Basmati rice varieties has already started to be felt some 8,900 miles away in Texas.
The trouble started a few weeks ago: Harsh climate forecasts and a crushing monsoon season have dealt a blow to the South Asian superpower's rice production. In response, the country's ruling party, the BJP, imposed cuts to rice production in an attempt to stymie inflation. The cuts amount to 25 percent of India's total rice exports.
In the U.S., South Asians who prefer cooking with starchier and less fragrant rice than Basmati have already started panic buying, creating scenes not unlike the rush for toilet paper during the start of the pandemic. In North Texas, an NBC affiliate in Dallas-Fort Worth reported customers buying more than a dozen bags of rice at an Indian grocer. The grocer had to eventually place a hard cap on one bag per customer.
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Further south here in Houston, Axios reported that World Food Mart along Beechnut had placed similar caps on sona masoori rice, a staple in South Indian cooking. Costcos in Upper Kirby and Westchase have also experienced similar shortages.
Aga's, the Indo-Pak restaurant in southwest Houston, has also begun experiencing issues with the import cuts. Owner Shaukat Maredia says restaurants and Indian grocers have been hoarding rice in fear of not being able to secure more soon.
"It's getting difficult to get rice and the prices have gone up as much as 25 percent," Maredia said. "In some cases even more than that."
The Muslim institution's cost has gone up 15 percent for current purchase. As an example, Maredia said he paid between $34 to $36 for 40 pounds of rice. The last delivery was $42. He assured, however, that rice will be available for customers despite the higher prices, and the restaurant is importing rice from Pakistan as well. Aga's is also not planning on raising prices in the interim.
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In a blistering criticism of India's rice policy, USA Rice accused the country of "playing games with global food security." The trade association's statement doubled as an advertisement for American rice farmers who broadcasted they can grow all the varieties of rice that India does.
"Countries that depend on India for low-priced rice are suffering," read the statement. "And in the end, India is growing their already massive stocks, which they will eventually start dumping back on the world market at dirt cheap prices, again wreaking havoc on global markets and food insecure nations."
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John-Henry Perera is the food editor for Chron. JP has been with Hearst for 10 years and is responsible for all the general eating coverage in Houston.
Prior to re-joining Chron, he was a food reporter on the features desk at the Houston Chronicle and an audience producer for both publications.
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