Delhi conference to explore new markets for Indian rice

Trade and business representatives from over 150 countries will attend the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) beginning in Delhi on Friday (October 23, 2026). Organised by the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF), the three-day conference brings together exporters, importers, millers, policymakers and food businesses to explore new markets, assess the 2027 price outlook and identify ways to earn more from rice.

It will see 65 speakers participating in nine knowledge sessions and 2,038 scheduled business meetings to connect India’s rice industry with global markets. “We want exporters to find new customers, buyers to discover suitable products and millers to identify where they can improve returns. The next chapter of India’s rice trade must be about creating more value, not simply selling more tonnes,” said Dev Garg, national vice-president, IREF. The nine sessions will cover crop surveys and price forecasting; new export markets; documentation, insurance and credit; bulk and container shipping; quality and certification; policy and incentives; sustainability; profitable rice milling; and value-added products.

After the recent war on Iran, one of the major buyers of Indian rice, and the crisis in West Asia, the IREF had been urging the Union government to help the exporters find new markets and assistance in clearing cargos stuck in Strait of Hormuz.