New Delhi: The rice availability may rise by 1.6 million tones next year, which would be just sufficient to cater to the domestic demand, the government said on Monday, but ruled out any increase in supply of the foodgrain under the public distribution system (PDS).

Rice supply is projected to rise to 95.5 million tonnes in 2009-10, compared with 93.9 million tonnes in 2008-09, minister of state for food and public distribution Akhilesh Prasad Singh said in the Lok Sabha.

Similarly, domestic consumption would touch 92.87 million tonnes this year against 94.83 million tonnes next year, he added.

“As per the projections, the estimated supply of rice is just sufficient to meet the domestic requirement. Hence the government has decided to ban the export of non-basmati rice,” Singh said.

The government has also made basmati shipments costlier by imposing a minimum export price of US $1,200 as well as a duty of Rs8,000 per tonne, the minister informed.

However, supply of the foodgrain under the public distribution system is unlikely to be raised. “At present, there is no proposal to increase the allocation of rice under PDS,” he said.