Improved market opportunities, with better crop yields, together with high yielding seeds, ensure greater yield. According to Dr. Prem Garg, national president of the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF), “We produce 150 million tonnes of rice on 51 million hectares. In terms of exports, 12 million tonnes go to Africa, 5 to 6 million tonnes to the Middle East and between 2 and 3 million tonnes to Europe and the US.”The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has inventories that are three to four times the national requirement. To reduce the uncertainties caused by the vagaries of the monsoon, it is necessary to stockpile and keep the stock stable. Rice currently contributes 20% of the country’s agricultural exports.
Sustainable technology
We have good varieties like Sona Masoorie and Matar Rice, with each state producing its own variety of grain, but we are yet to develop a Geographical Indication (GI) so that they can be marketed globally. Sustainable rice cultivation technology is the need of the moment. It is also important that we develop different rice varieties that will fetch higher unit prices, such as glutinous rice and diabetic rice.
While demand for Indian rice will remain strong, we need to find newer markets. It is important that farmers are provided with technical knowledge so that they can implement best practices in rice cultivation. Both geotagging and tracking metrics are important for accountability and scalability of solutions.
As we work towards better crop yields, we must also reduce the consumption of water in rice. The production of 1 kilo of rice requires between 3000 and 5000 liters. As a result, the groundwater level drops by 1.5 meters every year. Farmers must realize that balancing productivity and profits is the need of the hour. Mechanization and the use of combined harvesters are required, but access to equipment remains limited.
Distribution of special rice
Problems need to be resolved at Gram Panchayat level and solutions need to be found collectively so that early resolution mechanisms can be put in place.
According to Amit Vatsayan, partner E&Y India: “The development of specialty rice is the need of the hour and varieties such as Black Rice and Kala Namak rice will find more and more buyers in niche markets.” A public-private partnership model is the best choice if we want to position rice for an evolved market. While the government looks at building infrastructure, private enterprise works at building products.
Spotlight threadThe world is slowly shifting its consumption patterns and focusing more on rice, which contains few pesticides. Farmers are interested in short-term profits and rarely have a long-term view. Incentives and support must be provided that are workable in the short term. Government agencies and farmer support groups need to bring them together as a community by offering better price and financial incentives for emissions reductions.
Education, buzzword for progress
Dr. Gagnesh Sharma, Director, NCOF notes, “Farmers do not have a technical mindset. They want to try technology only if it will benefit them. As soon as they hit a roadblock and see a drop in yield, they become reluctant. This is where education is needed.” They need guidance at the grassroots level and should get the bigger benefits. Chemicals in food will erode their market share in the long term. Once they start to see the bigger picture, resistance will automatically decrease.
Greater public-private partnerships also enable government plans to be accurately implemented. It allows the producer to realize the benefits of precision agriculture that he might never be able to achieve on his own. If farmers want to make progress, advanced technology must be deployed. The government is building a system that can speak in multiple languages. Ultimately, all the farmer has to do is ask and he will have access to the entire database available from the government.
Farms of the future
According to Ankita Garg, co-founder and chief operating officer, Varaha. “The rice farm of the future will be one where a better price will be offered for sustainably produced rice. Farmers will be sensitized and educated through digital means. The residue will be plowed back into the ground and the stubble will not be burned.” The future belongs to the farmer who can use all the seasons he has productively.
Spotlight threadExpansion of organic exports
With a shift towards organic living and the global organic market currently standing at $140 billion, India is slowly moving towards this profitable market. The country’s organic exports amount to US$666 million, with rice occupying the largest segment at US$163 million. Thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture and the state governments, the area under organic farming is steadily increasing. Although there is good demand, we cannot meet the demand because we cannot meet the quantity demand.
India has many traditional rice varieties that we can grow organically. Traditional varieties have been validated. Orissa alone has more than 500 varieties of rice that can be grown organically. The challenge farmers face is that they are not aware of the latest technologies and best practices that can be adopted.
PM Modi has initiated Mission Natural Farming, under which more than 1 crore farmers will be roped in to take up cultivation. Maqbool Lingdosuram, Head of Administration, Magnolia comments: “Because organic rice is rich in protein, research institutions should work with farmers to guide them through the best practices to adopt.” Of course, India doesn’t have huge potential for organic basmati rice consumption at the moment, but there is a huge export market that remains untapped.
Non-basma grains should also be promoted when it comes to organic rice. In this way, many farmers can opt for organic farming. Farmers should also be informed about the nutritional and culinary aspects of organic rice.
Challenges for organic rice
The challenges we face include the awareness and complexity of the certifications required for organic rice. The standards for organic rice in each country are different, which implies that time, money and resources must be mobilized every time a shipment leaves. What is needed is a bridge of entrepreneurs from agricultural universities to train farmers in sustainability and organic farming. Organic rice must be free from external contamination and although it is easier to export in small quantities, when it comes to bulk, one must ensure that a quality system is in place. Market demands must be reflected at field level. There is a huge demand for baby food quality organic rice. Value addition can be in the form of rice waffles and rice crackers. The global market for organic rice is enormous. We are slowly moving towards making it a scalable export model.
Creating value-added products
The growing urban population is seeing a rapidly growing demand for nutritious and convenient food options. As awareness for nutritious rice-based food grows, developing value-added rice products that are accessible at reasonable prices will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders. Rice is grown on nearly 45 million hectares across the country, and listening to the pulse of consumers could point the way to the industry.
With India’s strong presence in the global rice market, the next big step could come from value addition. The value-added products will use low-value raw materials consumed in domestic and international markets. Several countries, especially in Southeast Asia, are consuming innovative food products that can also be positioned as products that enhance nutritional value.
These products can include convenience foods, snacks and bakery products, in addition to industrial products for the processing, packaging and preserving industries. Rice bran oil can also be used in industries such as cosmetics and pharmaceuticals for various applications. With biofuels becoming a big opportunity, rice husks and straw could be useful for companies that collect farmers’ produce.
Extreme weather events and changes in precipitation patterns increase the challenges for the sector. This has led to price fluctuations, with some countries resorting to large rice reserves. This makes value-added products the need of the moment.
Spotlight threadAt the heart of the changing dynamics for rice is the use of technology, which paves the way for value addition. These include value-added innovations such as advanced processing techniques, fortified products, smart packaging and sustainable use of by-products. These innovations improve rice quality, nutritional value, shelf life and market appeal.
For example, fortified products for rice may be the need of the moment. Micronutrient fortification could increase its appeal in several countries as it helps combat malnutrition. Biofortified rice varieties are genetically enhanced to provide essential nutrients. When rice husks are pelletized, they can convert waste into bioenergy and fuel.
The new opportunities for rice are certainly more than just food for thought. BIRC 2026 will be held from October 23 to 25, 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
BIRC 2025 was organized by the Indian Rice Exporters Federation in association with APEDA. It brought together stakeholders including farmers, exporters, importers, policy makers and technology leaders from more than 80 countries.
The two-day conference showcased more than a thousand traditional rice varieties from different states in India, all looking for new export markets. BIRC participants also presented products targeted at more than twenty new export markets, valued at over Rs. 1.8 lakh crore. Various options for creating sustainable and regenerative agricultural clusters were also discussed, with increasing farmers’ income through better seed selection, good agricultural practices and market access being the broad focus.
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