NEW DELHI, Sept 28 Reuters India gave the goahead on Saturday for exports of nonbasmati white rice to resume as inventories in the world39;s biggest exporter of the grain surge and farmers prepare to harvest a new crop in the coming weeks.

Bigger rice shipments from India would beef up overall global supplies and soften international prices by forcing other major exporters of the staple such as Pakistan, Thailand and Vietnam to reduce their rates, traders said.

New Delhi set a floor price for nonbasmati white rice exports of 490 per metric ton, a government order said. That came a day after the government cut the export tax on white rice to zero.

New Delhi39;s decision to allow traders to sell nonbasmati white rice on the world market follows a series of moves to ease export restrictions on premium, aromatic basmati and parboiled varieties. On Friday, India also reduced the export duty on parboiled rice to 10 from 20 previously.

Earlier this month, the government removed a floor price for basmati rice exports to help thousands of farmers who complained about a lack of access to lucrative overseas markets such as Europe, the Middle East and the United States.

As the El Nino weather pattern raised the spectre of poor monsoon rains, India imposed various curbs on rice exports last year and extended them into 2024 to keep local prices in check ahead of the AprilJune national election.

Since the 2023 ban on exports, local supplies have picked up, bumping up stocks at…