NEW DELHI, June 18 (Reuters) - India has allowed 25,000 tonnes of non-basmati rice exports to South Africa, a government order said on Thursday. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade, an arm of the federal commerce ministry, said in a statement posted on Website dgft.delhi.nic.in/ that rice exports would be permitted through state-owned trading company PEC Ltd. The consignment would be a part of one million tonnes of non-basmati rice exports allowed in May to 21 African nations through three state-owned companies. [ID:nDEL321629]

India banned non-basmati rice exports last year to stave off shortage at home. (Reporting by Ratnajyoti Dutta; Editing by Sue Thomas)