INTERVIEW: India eyes China, Singapore markets as it diversifies rice exports: APEDA chairman

India wants to increase its rice exports to underpenetrated markets such as China, the Philippines and Singapore as part of a broader strategy to diversify its destinations, the chairman of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority said Jan. 9.

"We are looking at some of the markets where penetration is less, especially China and the Philippines," Abhishek Dev, told Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, on the sidelines of the India International Rice Summit in Raipur, Chhattisgarh state. "Singapore is an important market for us. We have a long-standing [free trade agreement] with Singapore and we are working closely with Enterprise Singapore."

The export authority, or APEDA, is intensifying government-to-government engagement and trade promotion activities to support this push, Dev added.

"We are exporting rice to 150 countries around the world, and we are pleased to know that we are partnering for Gulfood 2026," he said. "Almost all our Indian rice exporters will be participating."

APEDA plans to use Gulfood 2026, the Dubai trade event Jan. 26-30, to promote India's premium and geographically indicated, or GI, varieties.

APEDA shall be participating in the Gulfood 2026 event as a partner country and set up the India Pavilion to showcase and market the Indian agricultural and processed food products.

"The aim is to promote exports of GI varieties," Dev said. "We have nearly 30 GI varieties and many of them are consumed domestically. About 10-15 of these varieties we will showcase at Gulfood. Last time at Gulfood, we presented the Nagri Dubraj [variety of rice]."

Philippines, China engagement

India has already stepped up engagement with the Philippines following encouraging discussions with Manila.

A delegation from the Philippine agriculture department visited New Delhi about three months ago and expressed interest in sourcing rice from India, Dev said. This prompted India to send its own trade delegation to the Philippines, he added.

"They assured us that the Philippines will be purchasing rice from us," Dev said. "That gave us confidence to send a delegation there. We received very positive feedback. In the days to come, our exports to the Philippines will rise, of course, trust takes some time to build up."

India is also planning to send a delegation to China in March to explore similar opportunities, he said.

Dev said that targeted trade missions and international industry events such as Gulfood and the India International Rice Summit would help India expand its footprint in these markets.

"With our delegations, Gulfood and such events, we will be penetrating these markets," he said.

Record exports in 2024-25

India's rice exports reached a total value of $12.47 billion in the 2024-25 financial year, with non-basmati rice accounting for $6.52 billion and basmati rice $5.94 billion, according to APEDA.

Total export volumes stood at 20.19 million metric tons, including 14.1 million mt of non-basmati rice and 6 million mt of basmati rice.

"In terms of basmati quantity, it was a record export last year," Dev said. While non-basmati exports peaked earlier in 2022-23, overall shipments could rise further in the current year, he added.

"If you see the trend, basmati quantity was higher last year, while non-basmati was highest in 2022-23," Dev said. "We anticipate export quantity will be higher this year."

According to S&P Global Energy CERA, India's rice production is expected to reach 151.8 million mt in marketing year 2025-26 (October-September), up 1% year over year, while exports are projected at 24 million mt during the period, up 5.2% from a year earlier

Amid record production, Platts assessed Indian parboiled 5% at $354/mt FOB Jan. 9, $85/mt down year over year.

Diversification amid geopolitical risks

Dev said India is also actively pursuing trade agreements and market diversification amid geopolitical uncertainties.

"The government of India is actively in discussion with all governments," he said. "Last year, many FTAs happened with the UK, New Zealand, Oman and others, and we are working with all stakeholders to explore new markets," he said.

Negotiations were also ongoing with partners in Latin America and the Middle East, he added.

"FTA discussions with Peru, Latin America and Israel are also happening," Dev said. "Opportunities are there, and we should not concentrate our exports on one market."