ARTICLE 3 #Supply

A dash of this and a pinch of that could cost more in American kitchens with new tariffs on goods from India. Many spices used by home chefs, restaurants and large manufacturers are imported from India, and the 50 percent tariffs on the country imposed by President Trump could drive costs higher, a trade association warned on Wednesday. Last year, the United States imported more than $410 million in spices from India, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Centre has allocated 10 lakh tonnes (lt) —5 lt wheat and rice each —to cooperative organizations such as National Agricultural Cooperative Federation of India Ltd (Nafed) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation of India (NCCF) for further retail sale directly to consumers under “Bharat” brand, which may help resume sales of these essential items at cheaper than market prices.

A recent study predicts that international rice prices will remain subdued until 2026, largely due to bumper harvests and record stockpiles in India. According to IRRI and The Rice Trader, India’s government rice reserves hit 37.9 million tonnes as of August, fueled by record crops and strong procurement under the MSP policy. With supply expected to outpace domestic demand by nearly 30 million tonnes, India’s surplus is reshaping the global rice trade.

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) has announced plans to seek a 10-year extension of the land lease for Malaysia Holdings Berhad’s (MSM) sugar refinery located in Perai. The refinery operates on land owned by the Railway Assets Corporation (RAC), and the proposed extension aims to provide MSM with ample time to plan its long-term operations without the risk of immediate closure or relocation.