In Summary: Minister of Commerce Amin Modad has claimed that Rice Importers in the country announced that the government of India increased the tariff on the variety of rice that is imported to Liberia. According to him, the Ministry has verified the information and found it to be true. A further verification of this claim by our Fact Checking Desk found it to be true.
Commerce Minister Amin Modad, at a news conference on February 16, announced the reduction in the price of rice to $16.75, adding that his Ministry has verified a claim made by the Rice Importers of Liberia that the government of India, in 2023, increased tariff on rice by 20%.
The Association of Rice Importers in 2023 wrote the administration of former President Gorge Weah on a potential increase of the country staple food from US$17 to US$20 in October.
According to Mr. Modad, the rice importers cited several reasons including the crisis in Ukraine, the middle east, and the imposition of a 20% tariff on parboiled rice by the government of India.
The Claim
Said Min. Modad: “In October of last year, the rice importers association wrote the government of Liberia requesting an increase in the price of rice from $17 to $20. They cited several reasons like the crisis in Ukraine, issues in the middle east that have impacted production and most specifically the rice importers cited an additional 20% tariff imposed by the government of India on the popular rice we have in Liberia which is the 5% broken Indian Parboil Rice. We have verified this that indeed there has been a 20% tariff imposed by the government of India on that particular variety of rice”.
Did India increase tariff on parboil rice by 20%?
Rating Justification
Our Fact Checking Desk verified this claim and found it to be correct. To arrive at this conclusion, we searched the internet and found an August 25, 2023 publication by the Reuters News Agency under the caption; India expands curbs on rice exports with 20% duty on parboiled grade.
An excerpt of the publication reads; “India has imposed a 20% duty on exports of parboiled rice with immediate effect, a move that could further reduce shipments from the world’s largest exporter and lift global rice prices, which are already trading near their highest levels in 12 years”.
Another report by an Indian based news outlet, Hindustan Times, under the caption “Centre imposes 20% export duty on parboiled rice”, noted that the 20% tariff by India will make parboiled rice expensive for foreign buyers, thereby limiting its overseas sales and boosting domestic availability.
Meanwhile, Outlook India, a current affairs news magazine in the country also reported on October 14, 2023, under the caption “Government Extends 20% Export Duty On Parboiled Rice Till March 31 Next Year”.
The 20 percent export duty on the parboiled rice according to the report was imposed on August 25, 2023, to maintain adequate local stock and keep domestic prices under check.
Conclusion
After our research, we conclude that the claim made by the Rice Importers Association of Liberia and verified by the Ministry of Commerce that India imposed a 20% tariff on parboiled rice in 2023 is correct.
Several credible news outlets in and out of India including the Reuters News Agency reported in 2023 that the government of India imposed a 20% of tariff on parboiled to limit overseas sales and boost domestic availability.
