India's Agricultural Exports Rise 2%, Despite Rice Export Decline

India’s exports of agricultural and processed food products rose by a modest 2% year-on-year to $25.71 billion in 2025-26, as shipments of rice, which has the biggest share in this export basket, declined due to geopolitical factors. The value of rice exports including basmati and non-basmati varieties, fell by 7.5% year-on-year to $11.53 billion in FY26. In March 2026, India, the biggest exporter of rice in the world, shipped grain valued at $0.99 billion, a 15% year-on-year decline, as the West Asia war disrupted exports to Gulf countries including Iran and Saudi Arabia. “India’s rice exports decline has reflected the growing impact of geopolitical tensions and logistical disruptions on global agricultural trade. Ongoing conflicts in key Middle Eastern regions critical transit routes and destination markets that account for approximately 70% of India’s basmati rice exports have significantly disrupted shipping operations,” Ranjit Singh Jossan, Managing Director, Jossan Grains in Punjab, a major rice exporter, told FE. Jossan said that the downturn in exports is largely temporary and driven by logistical challenges linked to ongoing conflicts, rather than any fundamental weakness in demand or competitiveness. India exported boneless buffalo meat and dairy products valued at $ 6.21 billion in FY26, an increase of 22% from previous fiscal. Buffalo meat shipment is the second biggest commodity after rice in terms of shipment value in the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) basket, which accounts for about 50% of India’s agri-products exports. The rest of the agricultural product exports include marine, tobacco, coffee, and tea. Officials said demand for Indian bovine meat has risen across the globe due to its quality and nutrient value. India has emerged as the second-biggest exporter of buffalo meat; export destinations include Vietnam, Malaysia, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Exports of fruits and vegetables last fiscal rose by a modest 1.4% to $3.93 billion year-on-year as shipments to Gulf countries were hit by the West Asia conflict. Exports of cereal preparations rose by over 3% year-on-year to $3.2 billion. In FY25, India’s agricultural and processed food products exports were $ 25.14 billion. Despite being hit by the high US tariff, India’s marine products exports increased 14% year-on-year to $8.43 billion last fiscal, thanks to a surge in shipments to several new markets such as Europe and Southeast Asia, an official said. “Initially under pressure from a higher tariff by the US, the biggest export destination, shipments to Europe, China, Vietnam and Russia increased sharply last fiscal thus leading to a sharp increase in exports,” KN Raghavan, Secretary General, Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) told FE. India’s seafood exports, mostly frozen shrimp, were $ 7.45 billion in FY25, with the United States having a share of 35% ($ 2.8 billion). The bulk of the country’s seafood exports to the US is ‘Vannamei Shrimp’.