Indian rice exporters are finding strong growth beyond traditional markets, with shipments to Jordan jumping nearly eight-fold and basmati exports to Turkey doubling.
Highlights
- India’s rice shipments to Jordan have increased nearly eight-fold.
- Basmati rice exports to Turkey have doubled.
- Global rice trade could reach around 81 million tonnes by 2035.
- Africa could account for nearly 45% of global rice imports by 2035.
New Delhi: India’s rice exporters are increasingly looking beyond their traditional overseas markets as new destinations emerge as significant growth opportunities. Shipments to Jordan have jumped nearly eight-fold, while India’s basmati rice exports to Turkey have doubled, according to a release issued ahead of the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026.
The trend suggests that some of the fastest-growing opportunities for Indian rice exporters may come from markets that are not currently among the world’s largest rice importers.
The global opportunity is also expected to expand considerably over the next decade. According to projections cited from the OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2026-2035, global rice trade could increase by around 22 million tonnes to roughly 81 million tonnes by 2035.
Africa Could Become Bigger Rice Market
Africa is expected to emerge as an increasingly important destination. Its share of global rice imports could increase from around 35% currently to nearly 45% by 2035, potentially opening a multi-billion-dollar opportunity for exporters.
Dev Garg, Vice-President of the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF), said exporters need to look beyond simply targeting countries with the largest import volumes.
Markets such as Jordan and Turkey highlight this changing strategy.
The sharp increase in shipments to Jordan may not be entirely driven by domestic consumption. Shifting regional trade routes following disruptions to direct trade with Iran have increased Jordan’s importance as a distribution hub and alternative trade corridor.
India Exports Rice to Over 170 Countries
India already has a wide global footprint and currently exports rice to more than 170 countries, although a significant portion of shipments remains concentrated in established destinations.
Between November 2025 and March 2026, India’s exports to 26 priority markets identified at BIRC 2025 stood at approximately Rs 23,476 crore, covering around 4.79 million tonnes of rice. This was 5.6% higher than the corresponding three-year average.
The upcoming BIRC 2026 will examine potential new markets using factors such as demand growth, import dependence, competition, freight costs, duties, price realisation and payment risks.
The Bharat International Rice Conference 2026 is scheduled to take place at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from October 23 to October 25.
