ARTICLE 2 #India Commodities Updates

Kicking off the M.S. Swaminathan centenary commemorations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to protect the interest of the Indian farmer, fishing and dairying communities, whatever the risks or costs, and whatever price he might have to pay for it personally. The question: what is the price he and the country may have to pay?People of India value their sovereignty over any personal comfort or worldly needs. They will stoically absorb even short-term loss of jobs for national self-respect. Think of shrimp farmers, basmati and spices growers, carpet weavers, hosiery workers, and artisans mostly in Gujarat cutting diamonds, gems and fitting them into gold jewellery, all hit by 50 percent tariffs.

Cumin, Isabgol and fennel seeds were among the ₹3995 crore worth of spice seeds that were exported from Mehsana in Gujarat during financial year 2024-25.Of the total exports, 25 per cent of the spices was shipped to China and an additional 16 per cent made its way to Bangladesh, figures shared by the Gujarat government stated. The same year 10 per cent of the total exports were to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), five percent to the United States and an additional four percent to Morocco.

INDIA – India has teamed up with the World Food Programmed (WFP) to combat global hunger by agreeing to supply fortified rice to crisis-affected populations worldwide. The partnership was formalized through a Letter of Intent (LoI) signed between the WFP and the Government of India, marking a new milestone in international efforts to ensure food security for vulnerable communities.

India’s rice procurement in the 2024-25 season (October-September) has reached 545.22 lakh tonnes (lt) until August 31, up from 525.22 lt a year ago. Due to higher procurement, the government is now planning a roadmap to dispose of as much surplus grain as possible. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has already allowed traders to buy a minimum of 1 tonne of rice directly from a depot at the reserve price.

After grain-based ethanol, the latest worry for India’s sugar industry is the continuous dip in the country’s sugar consumption. With the Central government implementing the Eat Right Campaign to reduce sugar and oil consumption, the industry is concerned that this will have a long-term impact on its economics. Dilip Patil, co-chairperson of the Sugar Bioenergy Forum of the Indian Federation of Green Energy, said the domestic consumption of sugar for the 2024-25 season (October to September) was projected to fall to 275 lakh tonnes.

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.

The latest estimate for multi-layered flexible packaging waste in India is approximately 1.87 lakh tonnes (187,933 tonnes) per year, based on data from the India Plastics Pact Annual Reports and related recycling landscape insights. This waste represents a significant share of the flexible packaging segment, where multi-polymer multilayer flexible packaging constitutes about 70% and multi-material multilayer flexible packaging about 9% of flexible packaging by weight.

The spike reflects strategic buying driven by the competitive pricing of palm oil compared to other edible oils, such as soyoil and sunflower oil, and seasonal consumption patterns, which encouraged refiners and retailers to increase their purchases in preparation for the demand surge during festivals marked by higher consumption of sweets and fried foods.

Confirms India produced 180.15 lakh tonnes of millets in 2024‑25, which is 4.43 lakh tonnes more than 2023‑24. Notes Rajasthan is the top producing state.India produced more than 180 lakh tonnes of millets in 2024‑25, Rajasthan top producer of grain.”

Indian Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said the collaboration focuses not just on trade, but building trust, sharing scientific knowledge, and promoting sustainable farming.

New Delhi, September 15: India’s vegetable oil imports have climbed by 7% to 16.77 lakh tonnes in August 2025. This number is higher than the 5.63 lakh tonnes a year earlier, despite a sharp fall in the refined palmolein shipments as a result of recent import duty changes, according to the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA).

India, the world’s second biggest sugar producer, expects surplus sugar stocks in the 2025‑26 season (starting October 1) after meeting domestic consumption and ethanol production needs, which will allow it to export sugar. Ashwini Srivastava, joint secretary at the Department of Food and Public Distribution, told a global conference that after catering to internal demand, there will be enough sugar for exports.