India's rice export earnings rose 12.9 per cent to Rs 45,739 crore during April-August 2026, with stable trade policies, accessible incentives and better market access needed to sustain the growth, according to the Indian Rice Exporters' Federation (IREF). Basmati rice exports contributed Rs 22,864 crore, up 11.6 per cent, while non-Basmati exports reached Rs 22,874 crore, registering growth of 14.2 per cent over April-August 2025, the federation said in a release. The figures reflect growth in export value in rupee terms rather than physical shipment volumes.

trade agreement creates an opportunity
Against this backdrop, the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026, scheduled for October 23-25 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, will examine trade policies, export incentives and opportunities to expand India's presence in international markets. Dev Garg, National Vice President of IREF, stressed the need to translate policy announcements into benefits exporters can access. “An incentive matters to an exporter only when it can be accessed, claimed and translated into a real business benefit. Likewise, a trade agreement creates an opportunity only when the exporter understands whether their product qualifies,” Garg said.

Policy Shifts 2026: Trade Schemes
“At BIRC 2026, we want to close that gap between policy announcements and practical results—helping businesses enter new markets, manage costs and build dependable export relationships.” The conference will hold a dedicated session, “Policy Shifts 2026: Trade Schemes, Incentives and Rice Export Opportunities,” on October 24. It will examine support programmes, eligibility requirements, documentation and the process of claiming export incentives.

government procurement policies
Discussions will also cover import duties, tariff concessions, trade agreements, government procurement policies and changing import regulations in destination markets. Bipin Aggarwal, Vice President (Kakinada), IREF, and Director of Andhra Pradesh-based rice exporter CLRK, said policy consistency and timely incentives were crucial for non-Basmati exporters.