China has once again cancelled the registration of three more Indian rice exporters. These include Sarla Foods and Pattabhi Agro Foods from Andhra Pradesh, and Om India Trading Limited from Delhi.
चीन ने फिर दिखाई लाल आंख! भारतीय चावल की खेपों को लौटाया, 3 और निर्यातकों को किया सस्पेंड
India and China share a long history of trade; however, in recent years, China has consistently banned or suspended Indian exporters using various pretexts.
Now, China has once again revoked the registration of three more Indian rice exporters. These include Sarla Foods and Pattabhi Agro Foods from Andhra Pradesh, and Om India Trading Limited from Delhi. With this move, the total number of Indian rice exporters banned by China has risen to 10.
Indian exporters, however, argue that China is erecting non-tariff barriers under the guise of technical standards, thereby restricting Indian rice’s access to its market.
No GMO Found in Tests
China has previously returned rice consignments, prompting APEDA to tighten inspection and export parameters; yet, China continues to suspend exporters on various pretexts. Mukesh Jain, President of the Rice Exporters Association (Chhattisgarh), stated that the rice consignments previously returned by China—allegedly due to the presence of GMOs—were tested by the FSSAI in India. No evidence of GMOs was found during these tests. He added that these same consignments were subsequently exported to other countries, where no issues were detected during quality checks.
B.V. Krishna Rao, MD of Pattabhi Agro Foods and President of the Rice Exporters Federation, explained that China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) stated the Indian rice consignments did not meet prescribed standards. According to him, the Chinese buyer claimed that GMOs were detected in the consignments. All the affected consignments consisted of broken rice.
No Irregularities Found in Pre-shipment Inspections
Exporters state that no GMOs were detected in any of the consignments during pre-shipment inspections conducted by Chinese agencies. However, upon arrival in China, officials there claimed the presence of GMOs. This is why Indian exporters and officials are questioning China’s actions.
China Causing Economic Losses
According to exporters, exporting rice to China has now become financially unviable. Shipping a single container to China costs around $250; however, if the consignment has to be returned, the additional cost ranges from $2,500 to $4,500. Exporters state that, as a result, the trade of Indian rice with China has virtually come to a halt.
China Has Returned Over 70 Indian Consignments
China returning rice consignments is not a new occurrence. According to trade sources, China has rejected at least 70 consignments of Indian non-basmati rice—citing the presence of GMOs—since May 2026. These actions are taking place despite the Indian government having already clarified to China that commercial-scale cultivation of GMO paddy does not take place in the country.
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