Chandigarh, Oct 17 : Veteran Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Hooda on Tuesday reiterated the demand for removal of restrictions imposed on the export of paddy, saying rice exporters have stopped purchasing paddy in seven states, including Haryana, due to the curbs imposed by the Centre. This, he said, had pushed farmers into losses. "The restrictions have caused distress and losses to farmers who are suffering. Basmati prices have fallen from Rs 3,500-3,600 per quintal to Rs 2,500. Farmers are incurring a loss of at least Rs 1,000 per quintal, which means they are facing a loss of more than Rs 20,000 per acre. Farmers fear that if the exporters' strike too continues, this rate may fall further," he said in a statement here. 'Rice exporters say the Central government has kept the minimum export price of Basmati rice at $1200 per ton, which is very high. Countries like Pakistan are taking advantage of the restrictions imposed by the Indian government and are exporting rice. The farmers of Haryana are suffering the most due to this restriction. "India exports around 45 lakh tonnes of rice every year and about 25 lakh tonnes of this come from Haryana alone. Due to the strike by exporters, the sale of varieties like 1121, 1509, 1781, and Sarbati have stopped in the state," he said. Hooda said the BJP-JJP government in Haryana "remains a silent spectator as farmers have been pushed in acute distress". "The Chief Minister should immediately talk to the Prime Minister and present the farmers' case before the Centre," he demanded. "Earlier, when there was a ban on exports during the Congress government and as the Chief Minister them I had appealed to then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and got the ban removed. Farmers got full benefit from it and farmers got a rate of Rs 5,000 to Rs 55,000 per quintal. But during the present government, farmers are neither the MSP (minimum support price) of coarse paddy nor international market rate for Basmati rice," Hooda added. /IANS