India eyes bigger share in global rice market, BIRC 2025 to drive export push: IREF's Prem Garg

New Delhi [India], October 24 (ANI): India is setting its sights on expanding its dominance in the global rice trade, aiming to capture up to 55-60 per cent of the world market share, Prem Garg, Chairman of Shri Lal Mahal Group and National President of the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) said on Friday.

Speaking ahead of the global Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025, Garg told ANI that the upcoming event will mark a milestone for the Indian rice industry and offer a platform for international collaboration.

"Never in the past a conference of this magnitude was held in India. Conferences used to happen, but at small scale," he said, highlighting the significance of the global meet.

India currently produces the highest quantity of rice globally, surpassing China, and accounts for around 40 per cent of global rice exports, translating to approximately 22 million tonnes.

"In terms of volume, the aim is to raise it to 28-30 million tonnes," Garg added, outlining the country's growth vision.

The BIRC 2025 conference, happening on October 30-31, aims to attract participants from across the world, offering exporters and importers new networking opportunities.

"The countries which will participate in the upcoming conference will be able to network with new buyers. We have also invited countries that import little rice from India," Garg said, talking to ANI.

India's export focus will now extend to Japan, West Africa, South American countries, and the Middle East, regions identified as potential markets for expansion.

"India has various types of premium rice, including some GI-tagged ones. We are also growing organic rice, which has huge demand world over," he noted.

The global conference, positioned as a landmark event for the sector, aims to cement India's status as a key driver of global rice trade while fostering international cooperation and innovation in the industry.

The mega rice conference -- Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025 is happening in close partnership with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

BIRC is being organised by the Indian Rice Exporters' Federation (IREF), a national-level body representing the country's rice eco-system and its diverse commercial and institutional stakeholders, including over 7,500 exporters and allied stakeholders across the country, in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), a statutory authority established under the APEDA Act, 1985, which is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion of agri products, including rice, a release said.

The event also has partner countries, namely the Philippines, Myanmar, Niger, Comoros, Jordan, Liberia, The Gambia, and Somalia.

More than four billion people depend on rice for sustenance and income, including approximately 150 million smallholder farmers cultivating the crop across 100+ countries. Rice anchors a global industry of roughly USD 330 billion and is the third most-traded food commodity.

India produced around 150 million tonnes of rice in 2024-25 from nearly 47 million hectares--about 28% of global output--with average yields improving from 2.72 tonnes per hectare in 2014-15 to about 3.2 tonnes per hectare in 2024-25, owing to better seed varieties, agronomic practices, irrigation coverage, technology adoption, and supportive policies.

India is the world's largest exporter of rice, accounting for 30% of global rice exports in 2024, with export value in FY 2024-25 of about 20.1 million metric tonnes valued at about USD 12.95 billion, reaching more than 172 countries.

The event will target Rs 1.80 lakh crore in new rice import markets currently sourced from India's competitors, with Rs 25,000 crore worth of export MoUs/contracts identified.

From Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Telangana, Odisha, Meghalaya, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana will showcase GI and speciality varieties, seed and agronomy packages, processing and storage capacities, FPO and cooperative clusters, organic and sustainability initiatives, logistics corridors and port linkages, investment opportunities, and buyer-connect desks. (ANI)

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