Export of Non-Basmati Rice Increased by 109 Percent

The commerce ministry announced on Wednesday that India's non-basmati rice exports increased to USD 6.11 billion in 2021-22 from USD 2.92 billion in 2013-14. In the years 2021-22, India exported rice to over 150 countries. India exported non-basmati rice worth USD 2 billion in 2019-20, rising to USD 4.8 billion in 2020-21 and USD 6.11 billion in 2021-22, according to data from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics.

"We have coordinated logistics development, as well as a focus on the production of quality, produce in collaboration with our foreign missions, which has boosted India's rice export prospects," M Angamuthu, Chairman, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), said.

Nepal, Bangladesh, China, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo, Senegal, Guinea, Vietnam, Djibouti, Madagascar, Cameroon, Somalia, Malaysia, Liberia, and the United Arab Emirates are among the other destinations.

In the last couple of years, India's focus on expanding port handling infrastructure, developing the value chain, involving key stakeholders, and exploring new opportunities in countries or markets for rice exports has resulted in a massive increase in rice exports, according to the ministry.

West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Assam, and Haryana are the major rice-producing states.

According to the Second Advance Estimates for 2021-22, total rice production in 2021-22 is expected to reach a new high of 127.93 million tonnes, up 11.49 million tonnes from the previous five years' average of 116.44 million tonnes, it added. After China, India is the world's second-largest rice producer.

Notably, after China, India is the world's second-largest rice producer. The record exports would allow rice producers to reduce their stockpiles, which would benefit farmers because increased demand for Indian rice would likely increase their profits.

The significant increase in agri-exports is also seen as evidence of the government's commitment to increasing farmers' income by increasing the country's exports of agricultural and processed food products.