India Rice Exports

India's rice exports to 26 priority markets exceeded their three-year average in the five months following the 2025 Bharat International Rice Conference, offering early signs that a strategy built around matching Indian rice varieties to local cuisines could help diversify demand in overseas markets. Exports to the 26-market basket totalled Rs 23,476 crore and 4.79 million tonnes between November 2025 and March 2026, according to an analysis by the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) of Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics data covering Basmati and non-Basmati rice. Export value was 1.1 per cent above the average for the corresponding November-March period in the previous three years, while volume was 5.6 per cent higher. Eleven of the 26 markets recorded year-on-year growth in both value and volume. The results come as India seeks to broaden its rice export base amid substantial domestic availability, shifting the focus from simply finding markets for .

Rice dominates trade between the two countries, accounting for nearly two-thirds of India's $1.25 billion in exports to Iran in the fiscal year-ended March

Basmati Rice Farmers & Exporters Development Forum (BRFEDF) on Monday called on the government to take urgent action against what it described as arbitrary and opaque shipping charges that have made exports commercially unviable for many traders. The forum said war-risk surcharges have ranged from USD 800 to USD 6,000 per container, often imposed without prior notice or revised after cargo has already moved. In some cases, cumulative charges have reached 60 to 70 per cent of the cargo value. "Exporters are effectively being asked to absorb open-ended financial liability for circumstances entirely beyond their control," Forum Chairperson Priyanka Mittal said in a statement. The West Asia crisis has prompted shipping lines to unilaterally divert cargo to ports including Jebel Ali, Sohar and Salalah, hold containers at transshipment hubs with no clarity on onward movement, and in some cases return containers to origin ports. Exporters say they bear the full financial cost of these ...

The country's rice exports dipped 7.5 per cent to USD 11.53 billion in 2025-26 due to a contraction in shipments to major destinations including the middle east countries, according to the commerce ministry data. The exports in March declined 15.36 per cent to USD 997.53 million. Shipments to middle east region nations, including Iran, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Oman have been impacted due to the war between US-Israel and Iran. Iran is India's top basmati rice export destination, but the shipments are witnessing growing stress on order flows, payment cycles, and ship schedules due to the prevailing instability. As per reports, importers have conveyed their inability to honour existing commitments and remit payments to India, creating uncertainty for exporters. In 2024-25, India exported 20.1 million tonnes of rice valued at USD 12.5 billion, reaching more than 172 countries. India is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of rice. It produced around 150 million tonnes of r

India's marine exports rise nearly 14% in FY26 despite tariffs and war impact, while rice shipments decline amid weak prices and West Asia disruptions

The requirement of a certificate is limited to EU member states, the ​United Kingdom, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway ‌and Switzerland, the ​notification said

Export of basmati and boiled non-basmati rice from Madhya Pradesh to several countries has been severely impacted by the West Asia crisis, stakeholders in the sector said on Saturday. Basmati rice from Raisen and boiled non-basmati rice from Balaghat have a distinct identity and are exported to many foreign countries, including the Gulf, they pointed out. "Basmati rice destined for export from Raisen district is stuck in ports, factories and warehouses. Freight rates have increased by 30 per cent, and there is a shortage of containers. Exporters are also facing backlog of goods at ports. All this has made it difficult to fulfil orders on time," Ajay Bhalotia, All India Rice Exporters Association general secretary, told PTI. More than two dozen rice factories operate in Mandideep, Satlapur, Obedullaganj, Raisen, Bareilly, Udaypura, and Umraoganj areas of Raisen district, with high-quality basmati rice making its way to markets in Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Dubai, etc, he ...

International freight rates have risen by an estimated 15-20 per cent, while war-risk surcharges and insurance premiums for Gulf-bound shipments have increased significantly

A member of the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) has entered into a commercial agreement to supply 5,000 tonnes of basmati rice to a buyer in the US, according to a statement. The federation said that this is a significant development as it comes after the finalisation of India-US trade deal, under which America has agreed to reduce reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from the present 25 per cent. "One of the members of the IREF has successfully entered into a commercial agreement for the supply of 5,000 MTs of basmati rice to a buyer in United States of America," it said. IREF said it has encouraged all its members to continue maintaining quality standards in their export activities.

Exporters expect improved competitiveness and higher shipments to the US after the proposed reduction in American tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent

The Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) on Tuesday expressed optimism over a proposed reduction in United States import tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent, down from the earlier 25 per cent. The federation expects this move to restore price parity with competing nations and significantly boost shipment volumes. According to IREF National President Prem Garg, the revised tariff structure would place India on a par with competitors like Thailand and Pakistan, which currently face duties of approximately 19 per cent. "The move to lower tariffs from the earlier 25 per cent to 18 per cent is a significant victory for price parity. This effectively neutralised the duty disadvantage we faced against competitors like Thailand and Pakistan. " Indian rice can now compete on a level playing field in one of our most high-value markets," exporter RiceVilla Group's CEO Suraj Agarwal said. The industry is also hopeful that a potential penalty related to India's purchase of Russian oil be

Civil unrest in 'pillar market' has disrupted payment cycles, delayed shipments and dented buyer confidence

An improved flow of rice from the world's largest exporter of the grain curbed shipments from rivals Thailand and Vietnam and drove prices in Asia to their lowest in nearly a decade

Exports rose to 21.55 million metric tons from 18.05 million in 2024, near the 2022 record of 22.3 million tons, the official said

The Indian Rice Exporter's Federation has urged the Centre to provide a 4% interest subvention on export credit, 3% road and rail freight support, and ensure timely disbursal of duty remission schemes

In the rice-basket states of Haryana and Punjab, groundwater was reachable at around 30 feet a decade ago, according to 50 farmers and eight water and agriculture officials

India, the world's largest rice exporter, shipped 20.2 million metric tons of rice in the 2024/25 financial year ending in March, including 335,554 tons to the United States

US President Donald Trump hinted at fresh tariffs on Indian rice as a Deputy USTR-led delegation arrived in New Delhi to assess the proposed trade deal between the two countries

The 12-tonne export marks India's global debut in fortified rice trade, linking its nutrition mission with international markets

Pakistan became the country's significant rice supplier after India banned non-basmati rice exports in 2023 to cool down domestic markets