No immediate plans to import rice: Scindia

India has no immediate plans to import rice,but the government may consider overseas purchases if it fails to buy adequate quantity from local farmers,the trade minister told parliament on Monday.

The federal government buys wheat and rice from domestic farmers to run various welfare programmes.

Jyotiraditya Scindia also said there was no proposal to lift a ban on non-basmati rice exports,clamped down since October 2007.

The country exported basmati rice worth Rs 62.01 billion ($1.36 billion) between April and September 2009,Scindia said.