Sona Masoori rice holds a special place among Telugus, being favored by those in countries with a significant Telugu population.
However, recent weather conditions and extensive crop damage caused by unforeseen floods in India prompted the local government to limit Sona Masoori rice exports in an effort to control food price inflation within the country.
Last year, non-basmati white and broken rice, which accounted for around 10 million tons of the total 22 million tons of Indian rice exports, faced restrictions due to the amended export policy.
The Indian government aimed to ensure sufficient availability of non-basmati white rice in the domestic market and stabilize prices.
Consequently, the demand for Sona Masoori rice surged in the USA, especially in areas with a significant Telugu population like Dallas.
In response to the shortage and potential hoarding, a department store in Dallas implemented a policy limiting customers to one bag of Sona Masoori rice (20 lbs/10 kgs) per family with a minimum purchase of $25 worth of other grocery items (excluding meat). This measure was taken to ensure fair access to rice for every customer.
As the export ban applies only to non-basmati rice, Telugus living overseas now have the option to switch to Basmati rice, at least temporarily, until the situation stabilizes.