India may consider more rice exports: Food Minister

India may consider more non-basmati rice exports, Food Minister KV Thomas said on Wednesday, as part of its efforts to trim bulging stocks.

"We have received several proposals for allowing exports from states like Andhra Pradesh where production was more than expectations," Thomas told reporters. He also said the introduction of the proposed Food Security Bill, a poll promise of the government to give more cheaper grains to the poor, had been deferred to the next session of parliament. India, the world's second-biggest rice exporter, allowed exports of 1 million tonnes of non-basmati varieties in July, easing a 2008 ban.