Premium rice varieties such as Sona Masoori, Ponni and Swarna have become significantly costlier over the past year. Traders attribute the rise mainly to weather-related supply concerns in southern India.
Highlights
- Premium non-basmati rice prices have increased by 10–25% year-on-year.
- Sona Masoori price rose around 25% to ₹58/kg from ₹44/kg.
- Ponni rice also climbed about 20% to ₹58/kg.
- Swarna boiled rice increased around 10% to ₹35/kg.
New Delhi: Prices of premium non-basmati rice varieties have risen sharply, with some varieties becoming up to 25% more expensive compared with a year ago, according to a report citing trade data.
Popular varieties including Sona Masoori, Ponni and Swarna have witnessed price increases of around 10% to 25% year-on-year. The rise has been linked primarily to weather-related supply concerns, particularly in southern India.
Trade data cited in the report shows that the average market price of Sona Masoori rice has increased to ₹58 per kg, compared with ₹44 per kg a year earlier, marking a rise of about 25%. Ponni rice is also priced at around ₹58 per kg, reflecting an increase of about 20%.
Swarna boiled rice has become about 10% costlier and is currently priced at around ₹35 per kg, while Miniket rice has risen around 10% to ₹46 per kg.
Rice Villa founder and CEO told the publication that key factors influencing rice prices in the coming months would include the prospects for rabi and winter crops.
Traders have attributed the current increase largely to weather-related supply concerns. Deficient monsoon conditions in parts of southern India reportedly affected water levels in dams and floods in parts of Bihar and lower rainfall in northern regions also added to supply concerns.
The report notes that the area under paddy cultivation has declined by around 7.7% to 42.92 million hectares in the current kharif season compared with the previous season.
Despite the increase in premium non-basmati varieties, the impact has not been uniform across all rice categories. Basmati prices have reportedly remained comparatively contained, with prices currently around ₹4,000 per quintal, about 30% higher than the year-ago period.
