India had exported 5.66 million tonnes of non-basmati rice in 2016-17 and the shipments were 3.51 million tonnes in the first six months of the current fiscal. Besides, the production of rice has been on the rise in the last one decade crossing 110 million tonnes in 2016-17 from about 93 million tonnes in 2006-07. Looking at continuous rise in the country’s rice production, Union Commerce Ministry has asked the All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) to explore the possibility of finding new markets as well as to scale up in existing market. The industry body, which was so far known for promoting basmati rice, on Monday met ambassadors and trade counsellors from 11 African countries including Mauritius, Namibia, Zambia and Angola. The industry body reortedly perceives a possibility of increasing at least 10 per cent export of non-basmati rice to African countries in the next two years. Traders say that these African nations have the major share in India’s shipments of the cereal.