The United States recently announced a 25% tariff on exports from India, prompting an immediate response from the Indian government. Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal convened a high-level meeting in Mumbai with leading exporters and key industry stakeholders to assess the situation and formulate future strategies.
During the meeting, Dr. Prem Garg, National President of the Indian Rice Exports Federation (IREF) and Chairman of the Shri Lalmahal Group, assured the government that the Indian rice sector remains resilient and optimistic in the face of this challenge. He highlighted that India currently accounts for approximately 45% of global rice exports and expressed confidence in increasing this share to 55% with the right government support and strategic vision.
Furthermore, a major development shared at the meeting was the lifting of a four-month ban on rice imports by a significant international market, which is an encouraging sign for India’s rice exporters.
Interestingly, a significant highlight came during the high-level meeting about the vision of Dr. Prem Garg regarding BIRC 2025, the upcoming Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025, scheduled to be held on October 30–31 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The event, supported by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry through APEDA, is poised to become the world’s largest rice conference. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal expressed his support and enthusiasm for BIRC 2025, which aims to bring together governments, exporters, millers, buyers, logistics partners, and policymakers on a global platform to strategise and stabilise the future of international rice trade.