MUMBAI, Feb 11: Rice exports from India, the world’s second-largest producer, will be between 4.5 and 5.0 million tons in the fiscal year to March compared with 4.7 million tons in the previous 12 months, a leading trade body said on Saturday.

Anil Adlakha, executive director of the All India Rice Exporters Association, told a news conference exports would include more than a million tons of the premium basmati rice.

Last year, India exported 1.2 million tons of basmati rice.

He said 640,000 tons of basmati rice and 2.83 million tons of other varieties had already been exported in the first eight months of 2005-06.

Last year, India produced 86 million tons or rice and industry officials this year’s output was likely to increase by about 1.5 million tons.

Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan are India’s main competitors in rice exports.—Reuters