Bharat International Rice Conference 2025 (BIRC 2025) held at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, under Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry. It was organised by Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF) in collaboration with Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Knowledge Partners included E&Y and S&P Global, and research Partner include International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) – South Asia Regional Centre (IRRI-SARC), Varanasi.
Bharat International Rice Conference 2025 (BIRC 2025)
Objective & Significance
- To bring together the entire rice value chain — from farmers to exporters — on a single platform.
- To position India as a global leader in rice trade, enhance farmer incomes, and boost export diversification.
- Acts as a strategic platform reaffirming India’s commitment to reliable, sustainable, and traceable food exports, aligned with the goal of Viksit Bharat @ 2047.
Scale and Participation
- 150+ exhibitors showcasing rice innovations, technologies, and premium varieties.
- 1,000+ foreign buyers from 80+ countries.
- 5,000+ farmers from across India.
- Participating States: Odisha, Telangana, Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, J&K, Bihar, UP, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana.
- Partner Countries: Philippines, Myanmar, Niger, Comoros, Jordan, Liberia, The Gambia, and Somalia.
Key Highlights
- Largest-ever global rice conference and exhibition, uniting exporters, importers, FPOs, research bodies, and cooperatives.
- Launch of Vision & Roadmap Document for India’s Rice Sector, aligning with Ministry of Commerce policies.
- Stakeholder consultations with domain experts, policymakers, trade associations, and research institutions to shape the roadmap.
- Aims to unlock:
- ₹1.80 lakh crore worth of new rice import markets, and
- ₹25,000 crore worth of export MoUs.
- Culinary Experience Zone curated by IREF, APEDA, IRRI, and ITC Hotels to showcase Indian rice in global cuisines.
Showcased Rice Varieties
Premium GI-Tagged and Specialty Varieties:
- Kala Namak Rice (Uttar Pradesh)
- Kali Kasha Rice (West Bengal)
- Govind Bhog (West Bengal)
- Indrayani (Maharashtra)
- Joha Rice (Assam)
- Black Rice (Manipur)
- Red Matta (Kerala)
State Highlights:
- Meghalaya: Promoting indigenous varieties like Pnah Iong (Black Sticky Rice), Mynri (Golden Rice of Ri-Bhoi), Mangsang, Minil, Khaw Biriun under the State Rice Mission and IBDLP (Integrated Basin Development and Livelihood Programme).
- Telangana:
- Paddy production increased from 68.17 lakh MT (KMS 2014–15) to 277.67 lakh MT (KMS 2024–25).
- Showcased Telangana Sona (RNR 15048), BPT 5204 (Samba Mahsuri), MTU 1010, KNM 1638.
Institutional & Cooperative Partners
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
- National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL)
- National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL)
- Bhartiya Beej Sahakarita Samiti Ltd. (BBSSL)
- Krishak Bharati Cooperative Agri Limited (KRIBHCO)
Sustainability & Innovation Focus
- Addresses rice’s resource-intensive nature, using 24–30% of global irrigation water and spanning 167 million hectares.
- Promotes:
- Sustainable agronomy and irrigation practices
- Traceability and certification systems
- Climate-smart rice farming
- Reduced environmental footprint
Key Launches & Initiatives
Bharat Organics Launch (by NCOL)
- Introduced an Organic Rice Range and Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) platform.
- Includes:
- 2 flagship variants: Traditional Basmati & Traditional Brown Basmati.
- 10 single-origin organic varieties (e.g., Kala Namak, Indrayani, Gobindobhog, Black Rice, Red Matta).
- Aims to promote chemical-free, traceable, and farmer-direct food products.
DGFT’s “Trade Connect” e-Platform
- Promotes digital ease of trade for exporters.
- Offers:
- Unified access to Certificates of Origin, tariff info, market guides, trade fair listings, and buyer networking tools.
- Enables exporters to create custom microsites for global visibility.
Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF)
- National-level apex body representing 7,700+ member companies, 9 trade associations, 3 chambers of commerce, 1 council, and multiple cooperatives.
- Members include exporters, millers, CHAs, and packaging manufacturers.
- Motto: “One Nation, One Trade, One Policy.”
- Aims to promote policy coherence and competitiveness across India’s rice export ecosystem.
APEDA (Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority)
- Established: 1986 under the APEDA Act, 1985.
- Ministry: Commerce and Industry, Govt. of India.
- Headquarters: New Delhi.
Functions:
- Promotes exports of 800+ agricultural and processed food products, including rice.
- Acts as Secretariat to NAB for organic certification under NPOP (National Programme for Organic Production).
- Oversees organic product accreditation, sugar import monitoring, and export facilitation.
India and Rice: Global Context
- India: World’s 2nd largest producer of rice; World’s largest rice exporter.
- Production (2024–25): ~150 million tonnes from 47 million hectares (≈28% of global rice output).
- Average yield: Improved from 2.72 t/ha (2014–15) to 3.2 t/ha (2024–25).
- Rice exports (FY 2024–25):
- 20.1 million metric tonnes valued at USD 12.95 billion, reaching 172+ countries.
Global Rice Context:
- Global production: 776 million tonnes (2025), up from 216 million tonnes in 1961.
- 150 million smallholder farmers in 100+ countries cultivate rice.
- Global rice industry valued at USD 330 billion — world’s 3rd most-traded food commodity.
- Supports over 4 billion people for food and livelihood security.
Strategic Importance of BIRC 2025
- Strengthens India’s image as a trustworthy and sustainable food exporter.
- Encourages diversification beyond Basmati, expanding export share in premium non-Basmati rice.
- Promotes GI-based branding, traceability, and value addition.
- Aligns with India’s Food Security Diplomacy and Make in India–Farm to Global Market vision.
Key Facts
| APEDA | Established under APEDA Act, 1985; HQ: New Delhi; Chairman (2025): Abhishek Dev |
| IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) | HQ: Los Baños, Philippines; Founded: 1960; Focus: Rice R&D for food security; IRRI-SARC (Varanasi) serves as South Asia’s regional centre. |
| India’s Position in Global Rice Trade | World’s largest rice exporter, contributing over 40% of global rice exports. |
| GI Tag for Rice in India | Notable GI rice varieties include Basmati, Kalanamak (UP), Gobindobhog (WB), Joha (Assam), Black Rice (Manipur). |
| Ministry of Commerce & Industry | Union Minister (2025): Piyush Goyal. Departments: Department of Commerce & Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). |