India exported basmati rice worth approximately INR 38,524 crore (equivalent to nearly $4.79 billion) during the 2022-23 fiscal year, as per data released by the Kolkata-based Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS). This marks a significant increase of about INR 12,109 crore from the previous year. Additionally, when measured in terms of rupee value, the exports of this long-grained aromatic rice were approximately 45.84% higher in the 2022-23 fiscal year compared to the previous one.
DGCIS data reveals that in the fiscal year 2021-22, India exported roughly 39.47 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of basmati rice, valued at INR 26,415 crore (approximately $3.47 billion). The export figures for the following fiscal year, 2022-23, show that the country shipped about 45.61 lakh metric tonnes of basmati rice, reflecting a notable increase of about 6.14 LMT (15.55%) from the previous year.
According to the DGCIS data, in the fiscal year 2022-23, India exported basmati rice to a total of 149 countries. This represents a decline in the number of countries compared to the previous fiscal year, 2021-22, during which the country sold the commodity to 153 countries.
India’s largest importer of basmati rice in terms of quantity during the 2022-23 fiscal year was Iran, purchasing approximately 9.98 LMT. Following closely behind was Saudi Arabia at 9.54 LMT, with Iraq ranking a distant third at 3.64 LMT.
Among the other significant importers of Indian basmati rice in the 2022-23 fiscal year were the United Arab Emirates (3.15 LMT), Yemen Republic (2.89 LMT), the United States of America (2.04 LMT), Kuwait (1.56 LMT), the United Kingdom (1.43 LMT), Oman (1.12 LMT), and Jordan (1.05 LMT).
When measured in terms of rupee value, the largest buyer of Indian basmati rice during the 2022-23 fiscal year was Saudi Arabia, purchasing the commodity for approximately INR 8,362.25 crore. Following closely behind was Iran, paying INR 7,838 crore, with Iraq ranking third at INR 3,032 crore. The United Arab Emirates (INR 2,689.1 crore) and Yemen Republic (INR 2,473 crore) were also significant buyers.
In addition to the aforementioned buyers, other significant purchasers of Indian basmati rice in terms of value during the 2022-23 fiscal year were the United States (INR 1,920 crore), Kuwait (INR 1,276 crore), the United Kingdom (INR 1,109 crore), Oman (INR 1,013 crore), and Jordan (INR 934 crore).
