High-level participation and global outreach
APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev announced that foreign ministers from the Philippines, Ghana, Namibia and The Gambia will join the two-day event. The conference is organised by the Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF) in partnership with APEDA, with support from Ministries including Commerce, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Agriculture.
BIRC will bring together policymakers, traders, researchers and financiers to create a Vision & Roadmap for the rice sector aligned with Viksit Bharat @2047. The final Vision document will be prepared over six months using outcomes from eight technical sessions and stakeholder consultations led by APEDA, IREF, ICAR and international partners such as IRRI.
Trade, tastes and product–market fit demonstrations
The conference will feature a Culinary Experience Zone—curated by IREF and APEDA with IRRI and ITC Hotels—where chefs will demonstrate Indian rice varieties across international dishes. Sensory panels and buyer clinics will evaluate product–market fit for markets identified for redirection, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and the USA.
Event organisers have mapped dish-variety matches—such as Wayanad Jeerakasala for Kabsa and Mushk Budji for sushi—aimed at convincing importers that Indian varieties can substitute other origins without compromising cuisine authenticity.
AgriTech, sustainability and women entrepreneurs
BIRC 2025 will unveil India’s first AI-based rice sorting technology at an AgriTech Pavilion. This system uses AI and big data to simultaneously assess colour, shape, size and structure to sort grain and segregate broken rice in one process, promising improved precision and lower costs.
A dedicated Women Entrepreneur, Startup & MSME Pavilion will showcase climate-resilient agronomy, post-harvest innovation, traceability using QR/blockchain, branding, packaging solutions and export onboarding facilities—designed to connect smallholders with international buyers.
States, cooperatives and market-ready supply chains
State pavilions from Telangana, Odisha, Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur and others will highlight GI and specialty varieties. Telangana will showcase its surge in paddy production and premium export-ready varieties, while Meghalaya will display indigenous, eco-friendly rice such as Pnah Iong and Mynri.
National cooperative initiatives will feature Bharat Organics (NCOL) launching an organic rice range with single-origin varieties—aimed at farmer-direct certified supply chains and higher farmer returns.
Research, training and institutional partnerships
IRRI and ICAR will partner as research and training collaborators, and IRRI-SARC Varanasi is a knowledge partner. Sessions include farmer training on climate-smart practices, water-efficient cultivation and soil health management to boost sustainable yields and reduce environmental footprint.
Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will promote its Trade Connect e-platform to streamline export documentation, certificates of origin and buyer engagement.
What to watch for
Key outcomes to watch from BIRC 2025 are the Vision & Roadmap launch, AI sorting live demo, state-led GI showcases, and the expected ₹25,000 crore of export MoUs. The conference also sets the stage for annualised engagement between India and rice-importing nations to expand market share.
