India's rice export value up 13% (Apr–Sep 2026): global demand keeps rising
26 October 2026 · English Economy & Banking
Topics: Environment, Rural Development & Economy · 26 October 2026 Current Affairs (UPSC / TNPSC / SSC / RRB)
News
As per government data, the value of India's rice exports rose 13% to ₹54,937.71 crore in the first six months (April–September) of the current fiscal 2026–27 (rupee value, not volume). Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) Vice-President Dev Garg cited this on the sidelines of the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC 2026), held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 23–25 Oct 2026. Global demand is rising as El Niño may cut output elsewhere; Indian rice is at least 10% cheaper than competitors (Thailand, Myanmar). Rice currently faces no export duty, minimum export price or restriction.
Key facts
| Export value | Apr–Sep 2026: ₹54,937.71 crore (+13%); full 2025–26 ≈ ₹1,12,000 crore |
| Apr–Aug 2026 | Basmati ₹22,864 crore (+11.6%); non-basmati ₹22,874 crore (+14.2%) |
| World share | World's largest rice producer and exporter; ≈40% of world rice trade (IREF) |
| Volume | ≈22 million tonnes exported last year; ≈24 million tonnes projected this year (USDA) |
| Basmati market | Over 74% of basmati exports go to the Middle East |
| Output, stocks | 2025–26 output 154 million tonnes+; govt stocks 38 MT (October buffer norm 10.25 MT) |
Background
- Policy: the ban on non-basmati white rice exports imposed in July 2023 was lifted in Sept 2024 and its minimum export price dropped in Oct 2024; the basmati minimum price was also scrapped in Sept 2024. Exports have recovered since.
- Geography: rice is a Kharif crop needing temperatures above 25°C, rainfall above 100 cm and water-retaining alluvial/clayey soil; in low-rainfall Punjab and Haryana it grows with irrigation.
- Basmati GI: on APEDA's application, the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) ordered registration in Feb 2016. The GI area covers Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, western Uttar Pradesh and parts of Jammu & Kashmir; Madhya Pradesh is not included.
- Science & institutions: International Rice Research Institute (IRRI, 1960) – Los Baños, Philippines; its South Asia Regional Centre – Varanasi. India's ICAR-National Rice Research Institute (NRRI) – Cuttack, Odisha.
Tamil Nadu link: 'Thooyamalli rice', a traditional paddy variety for which the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board (TNSAMB) applied, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag (reported Dec 2025) – an aromatic samba-season variety of 135–140 days; the name ('pure' + 'jasmine') refers to its fragrance. With the five products tagged in that batch, Tamil Nadu's GI count rose to 74. The Cauvery delta (Thanjavur) is the 'rice bowl of Tamil Nadu'.
Source: PTI / Business Standard, 25 Oct 2026; KNN India / ANI, 14 Oct 2026; The Tribune, 30 Oct 2025 (40% share); CivilsDaily, 4 Dec 2025 (Thooyamalli GI); BananaIP (basmati GI)
Join our UPSC classroom or online batch: UPSC coaching in Coimbatore · Fees · Call 99941 46662.
Link to this page from your website / blog (HTML code)
TNPSC Achievers
-
ANNAMALAI
TNPSC TNPSC
