India to Boost Rice Exports to 26 Markets: APEDA

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) Rice exports are growing at a healthy rate and the country looks to increase shipments to 26 global markets, including the Philippines, Indonesia, the UK and Mexico, APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev said on Friday.

Rice exports in September rose by 33.18 per cent to USD 925 million, and during April-September by 10 per cent to USD 5.63 billion.

Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is an arm of the commerce ministry which deals with issues related to the country's agri exports.

"We are looking to expand our exports to these 26 markets," Dev told reporters here while briefing about the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025.

These 26 nations include Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Iraq, the US, Malaysia, China, France, the UAE, Brazil, South Africa, Belgium, Japan, Germany and Kenya. These nations import a significant amount of rice from India's competitors such as Pakistan.

The two-day event will be held at Bharat Mandapam here. It is being organised by the Indian Rice Exporters' Federation (IREF) in collaboration with APEDA.


Dev said that the Conference will bring together producers, exporters, importers, policymakers, financiers, logisticians, research institutions, and allied service providers to strengthen transparency, efficiency, and resilience in the global rice trade.

"India is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of rice, supplying to over 172 countries. Therefore, BIRC 2025 will provide an opportunity for the stakeholders to position their presence in global food supply chains," he said.

Over 3,000 farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), over 1,000 foreign buyers from more than 80 countries, and 2,500 exporters, millers, and allied industries are likely to participate in the event.

The commerce ministry said that the conference aims to unlock Rs 1.80 lakh crore in new rice import markets and sign Rs 25,000 crore worth of export MoUs.

India produced around 150 million tonnes of rice in 2024-25 from nearly 47 million hectares, accounting for about 28 per cent of global output.

Average yields have improved from 2.72 tonnes per hectare in 2014-15 to about 3.2 tonnes per hectare in 2024-25, driven by improved seed varieties, better agronomic practices, and expanded irrigation coverage.

In 2024-25, India exported 20.1 million metric tonnes of rice valued at USD 12.95 billion, reaching more than 172 countries.