www.asiaagrifood.com - 🍚 India’s Rice Exports Soar to Near Record 📈 as Export Curbs Lifted ✈️🌏
India’s rice exports surged sharply in 2025, rising 19.4 per cent to 21.55 million metric tons, marking the second‑highest export volume on record after the government lifted all export restrictions imposed in 2022 and 2023. The rebound in overseas shipments came as supplies improved on the back of record domestic production, and traders resumed exports from March once the remaining curbs were fully removed. This policy change boosted India’s competitiveness in global markets, pushing Asian rice prices to their lowest in nearly a decade and making the staple grain more affordable for importing nations.
- Total exports in 2025: 21.55 million tons (up from 18.05 million tons in 2024).
- Non‑basmati rice shipments: Up 25 % to 15.15 million tons.
- Basmati rice exports: Up 8 % to a record 6.4 million tons.
- Non‑basmati rice saw strong demand from Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and Djibouti.
- Premium basmati rice exports increased to countries including Iran, the UAE, and the UK.
India typically exports more rice than the combined shipments of the next three largest exporters (Thailand, Vietnam, and Pakistan), underlining the country’s dominant position in the global rice trade.
Industry analysts say that lower Indian rice prices helped the country regain lost market share in many regions and cushioned global food costs for poorer importing countries
