India: Rice exports to various regions show mixed trends in Jan-Jul'25

India's rice exports have shown a varied performance across different regions during the first seven months of the year (January-July 2025), with Asia emerging as the primary growth driver, according to a region-wise analysis of export data for 2024 and 2025.Notably, Indian non-basmati rice is a popular and cost-effective food source in many countries across the region, and its consistent supply and competitive pricing make it a preferred choice for food security programmes and general consumption. Region-wise exportsSub-Saharan Africa remained the largest recipient of Indian rice, with exports reaching 61.2 lakh metric tonnes (MT) in 2025, marking a 17% increase over the 52.4 lakh MT exported in 2024.

Growth was largely driven by a combination of consistent demand for affordable staples and a rising population. The Middle East also saw a healthy increase, with 2025 exports rising by 8% to 47.8 lakh MT from 44.3 lakh MT in 2024. This was primarily fuelled by the strong demand for premium Basmati rice.

However, the most dramatic growth was observed in the Asian market. Rice exports to Asia more than doubled, soaring 114% to 28.4 lakh MT in 2025 from 13.3 lakh MT in 2024. This significant surge highlights growing demand for Indian rice within the continent.

Asian countries such as Bangladesh, China, and Bhutan faced production shortfalls due to unfavourable weather conditions, leading them to import more rice to meet domestic demand.

Europe also demonstrated strong growth, with exports increasing by 69% to 6.2 lakh MT in 2025 from 3.6 lakh MT in 2024. In the "Others" category, which includes various smaller markets, exports grew 17%, to 3.4 lakh MT in 2025 compared to 2.9 lakh MT in 2024.