Indian rice dish gains global audience as 3,317 buyers register for BIRC 2026

Indian rice exporters will get a broader international trading platform this October, with 3,317 buyers from 138 countries registering for the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026.The three-day conference will be held at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital from October 23 to 25. Registration data released by the organizer showed that buyers from a diverse set of markets in Africa, the Gulf, Southeast Asia and neighboring countries had already registered as of August 30.Bangladesh accounts for the largest proportion of registrations with 336 buyers, followed by Benin with 179 and Nigeria with 177. The United Arab Emirates has 145 registrations, while Nepal and the Philippines recorded 137 each.Ethiopia has registered 127 buyers and Saudi Arabia 125, while Indonesia and South Africa have 109 registrations each.Buyers have also registered from Senegal, Iraq, Somalia, Guinea, Yemen, Ivory Coast, Niger, Australia, Mali, Malaysia, Ghana, Angola and Kenya, among other established and emerging markets.“The response to BIRC 2026 clearly demonstrates the breadth of global markets looking to India. With 3,317 buyers from 138 countries already registered, we aim to convert this international participation into new trade routes, new buyers and long-term business relationships for Indian rice exporters,” said Dev Garg, vice-president of the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF).

Africa represents a significant part of buyer interest

The extension of registration has placed Africa among the key opportunity regions for Indian rice exporters. Benin, Nigeria and Ethiopia have recorded strong participation, while buyers from South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Niger, Ghana, Angola and Kenya have also registered.The Gulf is another major market and trade hub, with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia ranking high in the records. Southeast Asia has also become an area of ​​interest, with buyers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia registering for the conference.According to IREF, the geographical diversity of participants could help Indian exporters reach new customers and destinations while reducing over-reliance on individual markets.BIRC 2026 follows the market diversification initiative undertaken in the previous edition, which sought to unlock potential rice import markets estimated at Rs 1.8 lakh crore. The latest registrations are expected to provide a broader basis to take advantage of this opportunity through direct engagement with buyers from individual countries.

Matchmaking platform to focus on real business deals

The conference will seek to go beyond conventional networking through an app-enabled B2B matchmaking platform. Buyers, exporters, millers and service providers will be able to identify potential counterparties and schedule meetings based on rice varieties, volumes, product specifications, market requirements and buyers’ preferences.“Our B2B matching application will allow buyers, exporters, millers and service providers to identify and schedule specific meetings based on rice varieties, volumes, product specifications and market requirements. “The goal is to move from general networking to commercially meaningful business engagement,” he said.B2B meetings will remain operational throughout the conference and participants will be able to organize specific discussions in advance. The platform is intended to make interactions more focused and commercially productive.

Price outlook for 2027 will be in the spotlight

The outlook for the global rice market to 2027 will be a key area of ​​discussion at the conference. One session will examine the topic “Global Supply and Demand Outlook 2027: Price Crash or New Bull Run?”The session will bring together crop studies, production estimates, supply and demand figures, stock levels and opinions from market experts to evaluate possible price and trade scenarios for 2027.Another nine business-focused knowledge sessions will cover crop surveys and price forecasting; New market opportunities; Documentation, Insurance and Credit; Bulk and container transportation; Quality and Certification; Policies, commercial schemes and incentives; Sustainability and Carbon Credits; Profitable rice milling; and Value Added Products.The sessions are designed as practical business training modules, with a focus on market expansion, risk reduction, payment protection, margin improvement and commercially usable information.

Vision 2047, innovation and experience zones on the agenda

The conference will also include the launch of the Rice Sector Vision 2047, along with the unveiling of the top five innovations, an innovation exhibition and an ambassadors’ meeting.Nine immersive experience zones will take visitors through different aspects of the rice ecosystem, including its origins, biodiversity, farming communities, global cuisines, trade routes, value-added applications and future seed innovations.International buyers, Indian exporters, millers, policy makers, technology providers and other stakeholders from across the rice value chain are expected to participate in the programme.The final day of BIRC 2026 will also feature a public Rice Festival on October 25.With registrations already exceeding 3,300 buyers from 138 countries, the conference seeks to bring together a broad base of international buyers with the Indian rice industry.For Indian exporters, the focus will be on converting participation in new markets, new trade routes and long-term export relationships.