New Delhi, April 5 -- The Centre will implement a revised tariff structure for rice exportsstarting May 1, aimed at distinguishing between rice types based on processing method and variety.

Minister of State for Commerce Jitin Prasada shared the update in a written reply to Parliament on Friday.

Under the new regime, rice will be categorised by processing-such as parboiled and others-and by variety, including Basmati, other non-Basmati types, and rice recognised by the Geographical Indication (GI) Registry.

"This will benefit the more than 20 GI varieties of rice, as defined and recognised by the Geographical Indications Registry under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999," Prasada stated. These...