India’s exports of agricultural and processed food products continued to grow at a brisk pace in the current fiscal year, with shipments rising over 12% on year to $12.17 billion in April-September, 2025-26.
Despite the US imposing stiff tariffs recently, the rise in shipments was driven primarily by a sharp increase in exports of rice, buffalo meat, fruits and vegetables.
Rice exports including basmati and non-basmati varieties, rose by over 10% on year to $ 5.63 billion during the April-September period. In September, 2025, India, the biggest exporter of rice in the world, shipped grain valued at $ 0.92 billion, an increase of 33% over exports in September, 2024
In FY25, rice exports were at a record $ 12.47 billion, an increase of over 20% compared to 2023-24.
However there has been a fear amongst basmati rice exporters on the shipment prospects to the high value market like the US, as the new higher tariff regime has come into effect last month.
“Despite the recent US tariff, rice exports have shown steady growth in the last quarter is a clear reflection Indian exporters have effectively adapted to global challenges further strengthening India’s position as the most reliable supplier of rice globally,” Ranjit Singh Jossan, vice president, the basmati rice millers and exporters association, Punjab, told FE.
India has been the largest exporter of rice for a decade now and currently has a share of over 40% in the global grain trade. Global rice trade for 2026 is projected at 62 million tonne (MT).
Meat, fruits and vegetables boost exports
According to data provided by the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics, the shipment of buffalo meat, dairy and poultry products in the first half of FY26, increased sharply by over 22% to $2.74 billion.
India exported boneless buffalo meat valued at $ 4.06 billion in FY25. Buffalo meat shipment is the second biggest commodity after Basmati rice in terms of value of shipment in the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) basket.
Officials said there has been a rise in demand for the Indian bovine meat across the globe due to its quality and nutrient value.
India has emerged as the second biggest exporter of buffalo meat and the export destinations are Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates.
The APEDA coordinates boneless buffalo meat exports through approved integrated meat plants and these plants are inspected by importing countries.
The exports of fruits and vegetables during April-September period of FY26 rose by over 9% to $1.86 billion on year. Shipment of cashew rose by over 9% during the first six months of the current fiscal to $ 138 million a year.
In FY25, India’s agricultural and processed food products exports were $ 25.14 billion.
The share of exports of products under the APEDA basket is around 51% in the total shipments of agricultural produce.
The rest of the agricultural product exports include marine, tobacco, coffee, and tea.
In September, 2024, the government started easing restrictions on rice shipments on prospects of bumper output and significantly higher stocks, around a year after they were imposed. It has since removed all export restrictions, including the minimum export price, on rice shipments.
Officials said that there has been rising demand for several agricultural products such as bananas, mangoes, processed fruits and juices, fruits and vegetables seeds and processed vegetables across the world.