NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The government said on Thursday it would allow duty-free import of rice as part of its efforts to check a rise in food prices, which have fuelled inflation.

Duty-free rice imports would be allowed for a year, effective from Thursday, a finance ministry statement said. Customs duty on rice was earlier at 70 percent.

"Although India does not import rice and it has been exporting for the last ten years, there is no harm in bringing down the duty to zero," said Vijay Sethia, president of the All India Rice Exporters' Association.

The government also cut edible oil import duties to ease prices.

A government statement on Thursday showed annual inflation rose to a 10-month high of 5.92 percent.

The country early this month raised the minimum price for non-basmati rice exports to $650 per tonne free-on-board from $500, in a move to slow down sales overseas.

India produces 90 million tonnes of rice annually.

The country exports four million tonnes of the grain annually, including one million tonnes of aromatic basmati rice, which is exclusively grown in the northern parts of India and Pakistan.