The government’s procurement of paddy has reached 72.59 mln tn as of Sunday in the ongoing 2021-22 (Oct-Sep) kharif marketing season, according to an official release. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research has released three new varieties of basmati rice this year. The average price of 25% broken non-basmati rice exported from India rose to $334.8 per tn in February, against $330.8 per tn in January, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization said in its monthly report. The price was nearly 11.6% lower on year. The Centre on Saturday granted approval for waiving the four times inspection fee for shipments of all pulses imported from countries that have phased out the use of methyl bromide for non-fumigation at country of origin, according to an official release.