Why in the News?
- India’s rice exports fell by 7.5% to $11.53 billion in 2025–26 due to disruptions caused by the West Asia crisis.
Key Data
Export Performance
- 2025–26: $11.53 billion
- 2024–25: ~$12.5 billion
- March 2026: Decline of 15.36% (to ~$997 million)
West Asia Crisis Impact
- Conflict affecting trade with: Iran, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Oman
- Issues faced:
- Payment delays
- Order cancellations
- Shipping disruptions
- Iran Major importer of Basmati rice
India’s Rice Sector
- Production:Output (2024–25): ~150 million tonnes
- Cultivation area: ~47 million hectares
- India contributes: ~28% of global rice production
- Exported to: 170+ countries
- Yield Improvement
- 2014–15: 2.72 tonnes/hectare
- 2024–25: ~3.2 tonnes/hectare
Top Producers
- China: Leads with ~208-214 million tonnes annually, focusing on hybrid varieties.
- India: Second at ~195-196 million tonnes; top exporter despite domestic consumption. Bangladesh: ~57 million tonnes; high per capita reliance.
- Indonesia, Vietnam: ~54-55M and ~42-43M tonnes respectively.
- Others: Thailand (~34M), Myanmar, Philippines round out top 10.
| [2019] Among the following, which one is the largest exporter of rice in the world in the last five years? (a) China (b) India (c) Myanmar (d) Vietnam |
