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New Delhi, Oct 25 (KNN) The Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025 will be held at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, on 30–31 October 2025, the Department of Commerce announced. The event is expected to gather producers, exporters, importers, policymakers, researchers, financiers, and related service providers to promote transparency, efficiency, and resilience in the global rice trade. Partner countries for BIRC 2025 include the Philippines, Myanmar, Niger, Comoros, Jordan, Liberia, The Gambia, and Somalia, with IRRI-SARC, Varanasi, serving as the research and knowledge partner, and E&Y and S&P Global as knowledge partners. The Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF), in collaboration with Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), is organising the conference with support from multiple Union ministries, departments, and state governments. Over 3,000 farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), 1,000 foreign buyers from more than 80 countries, and 2,500 exporters, millers, and allied industry representatives are expected to participate. Over the next six months, the Department of Commerce, along with APEDA, IREF, other ministries, and research institutions including ICAR and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), will prepare a roadmap. It will draw on insights from panel discussions, stakeholder consultations, and expert deliberations held during the conference. Highlighting rice’s centrality to global food security—feeding over four billion people and supporting 150 million smallholder farmers—the Conference will explore innovations in agronomy, irrigation, certification, and traceability to promote sustainability and resource efficiency in a crop that consumes nearly 30 percent of global irrigation water. The event will showcase several thematic components. The AgriTech Pavilion will debut India’s first AI-based rice sorting system, capable of simultaneously analysing grain colour, shape, size, and structure to enhance precision and reduce costs. The Women Entrepreneur, Startup & MSME Pavilion will highlight innovations across the agricultural value chain, including climate-resilient agronomy, post-harvest technologies, digital traceability, and agri-fintech solutions. State Pavilions will feature GI and specialty rice varieties, such as Meghalaya’s traditional black, golden, and sticky rice, as well as Telangana’s premium export varieties, including Telangana Sona and Samba Mahsuri. The Conference will also see Bharat Organics, under National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL), launch its Organic Rice Range and Direct-to-Consumer platform, offering traditional basmati and regional single-origin varieties like Kala Namak, Gobindobhog, Black Rice, and Red Matta. To enhance trade facilitation, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will promote its Trade Connect e-Platform, providing exporters a unified digital window for certifications, tariff details, market insights, and buyer connections. BIRC 2025 will also witness the signing of an MoU to set up an Incubation and Agricultural Research Centre in New Delhi, aimed at promoting sustainable, regenerative, and climate-resilient rice production. Additionally, ICAR and IRRI will conduct training sessions on good agricultural practices (GAPs) and climate-smart farming techniques for farmers. BIRC 2025 aims to unlock Rs 1.80 lakh crore in new export markets and facilitate Rs 25,000 crore worth of export MoUs, showcasing India’s diverse rice portfolio through a Culinary Experience Zone curated by IREF, APEDA, IRRI, and ITC Hotels. The event will feature live chef demonstrations, sensory evaluations, and buyer engagement platforms to promote Indian rice in global cuisines.
