Mumbai:  The government will retain the ban on export of rice and other foodgrains and the ban on futures trading in soyoil, rubber, pulses and potato till November, official sources said.

The restrictions on futures trading and exports aimed at arresting the rising prices of foodgrains may stay until the new crop starts arriving, so that enough supplies are assured.

The government decided to extend the ban on the export of non-basmati rice, wheat, maize and pulses to ensure availability of the commodities after inflation in the country rose to a 13-year high of nearly 12 per cent.

''Till the new crop comes, whatever restrictions are there, they will stay in place," commerce secretary G K Pillai said on the sidelines of a CII function.

The empowered group of ministers, chaired by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, will meet tomorrow to review the situation relating to the production, stocks and prices in the open market amidst increasing demands by exporters to ease curbs on non-basmati rice exports.

"Prices of commodities remain a concern. It is unlikely that we will relax the ban on futures trade in four commodities," Pillai said.

On 8 May, the government suspended futures trading in soyoil, rubber, chickpea and potato for four months, and had earlier banned contracts of wheat, rice and two varieties of pulses.

Wheat prices in the country has more or less been stable, although higher, amidst record output of 78.4 million tonnes. Rice prices, however, has continued to rise despite a whopping 96.43 million tonnes output in the 2007-08 season. Non-basmati rice prices have risen in the last one year and are currently hovering between Rs 15-22 per kg.

The government, meanwhile, said it planned to sell wheat in the open market in select cities to curb prices.