The rebound placed shipments close to the 2022 record of 22.3 million tonnes and reinforced India’s position as the world’s largest rice exporter.
Officials said exports recovered quickly after New Delhi removed curbs that had been imposed between 2022 and 2023 to protect domestic supplies and control food inflation.
“Indian shipments rebounded quickly after the government lifted export restrictions” in March, a government official said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The renewed flow of Indian rice into global markets has reshaped trade patterns across Asia and Africa.
Increased availability from India curtailed shipments from rival exporters Thailand and Vietnam and pushed Asian rice prices to their lowest levels in nearly a decade.
Lower prices have eased food costs for price-sensitive consumers in Africa and parts of Asia, where rice remains a key staple.
Data from officials showed that non-basmati rice exports jumped 25% to 15.15 million tonnes, reflecting strong demand for competitively priced supplies. Basmati rice exports increased 8% to a record 6.4 million tonnes, supported by steady demand from premium markets.
Non-basmati shipments rose sharply to Bangladesh and several African destinations, including Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Djibouti.
Demand for higher-value basmati rice strengthened in Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Britain, according to a second government official.
Africa has remained a core market for Indian rice, driven by population growth, urbanisation and limited domestic production capacity in many importing countries.
India typically exports more rice than the combined shipments of Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan, giving it considerable influence over global prices.
“Indian rice is very competitive compared with supplies from other exporting countries, with lower prices helping India regain lost market share,” said Nitin Gupta, senior vice-president at Olam Agri India, speaking on the sidelines of the India International Rice Summit.
The impact has been felt most clearly in Thailand, traditionally one of the world’s top exporters.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce has projected that rice exports will fall to about 7 million tonnes this year, down from an estimated 8 million tonnes in 2025, citing competition from abundant Indian supplies and the impact of a strong baht on export competitiveness.
In the first 11 months of 2025, Thai rice shipments dropped 21% year-on-year to 7.3 million tonnes, while export value declined 30.3%. Thailand exported nearly 10 million tonnes in 2024.
Source - Milling Middle East and Africa
Officials said exports recovered quickly after New Delhi removed curbs that had been imposed between 2022 and 2023 to protect domestic supplies and control food inflation.
“Indian shipments rebounded quickly after the government lifted export restrictions” in March, a government official said, requesting anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The renewed flow of Indian rice into global markets has reshaped trade patterns across Asia and Africa.
Increased availability from India curtailed shipments from rival exporters Thailand and Vietnam and pushed Asian rice prices to their lowest levels in nearly a decade.
Lower prices have eased food costs for price-sensitive consumers in Africa and parts of Asia, where rice remains a key staple.
Data from officials showed that non-basmati rice exports jumped 25% to 15.15 million tonnes, reflecting strong demand for competitively priced supplies. Basmati rice exports increased 8% to a record 6.4 million tonnes, supported by steady demand from premium markets.
Non-basmati shipments rose sharply to Bangladesh and several African destinations, including Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Djibouti.
Demand for higher-value basmati rice strengthened in Iran, the United Arab Emirates and Britain, according to a second government official.
Africa has remained a core market for Indian rice, driven by population growth, urbanisation and limited domestic production capacity in many importing countries.
India typically exports more rice than the combined shipments of Thailand, Vietnam and Pakistan, giving it considerable influence over global prices.
“Indian rice is very competitive compared with supplies from other exporting countries, with lower prices helping India regain lost market share,” said Nitin Gupta, senior vice-president at Olam Agri India, speaking on the sidelines of the India International Rice Summit.
The impact has been felt most clearly in Thailand, traditionally one of the world’s top exporters.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce has projected that rice exports will fall to about 7 million tonnes this year, down from an estimated 8 million tonnes in 2025, citing competition from abundant Indian supplies and the impact of a strong baht on export competitiveness.
In the first 11 months of 2025, Thai rice shipments dropped 21% year-on-year to 7.3 million tonnes, while export value declined 30.3%. Thailand exported nearly 10 million tonnes in 2024.
Source - Milling Middle East and Africa
