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Informist, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025

 

By J. Navya Sruthi

 

MUMBAI – Despite widespread damage to the standing basmati crop in Punjab and Haryana by the floods caused by the recent heavy rainfall in the region, India's export of the aromatic rice in the financial year 2025-26 (Apr-Mar) is expected to rise with output in other states set to increase, say experts. They expect the country's overall basmati rice crop output to be mostly unchanged from last year.

 

India's basmati rice export during Apr-Aug were up over 17% on year at 2.7 million tonnes, Satish Goel, president of the All India Rice Exporters' Association, said. Goel expects the country's basmati rice exports to rise 8% on year in FY26 despite the recent floods in Punjab, a key basmati rice-producing state. Exports rose by 400,000 tonnes in the first five months of FY26 and the pace is likely to continue for the rest of the year, he said. India's basmati rice export in the corresponding period of 2024-25, according to commerce ministry data, was at 2.3 million tonnes.

 

In FY26, India's basmati rice export is likely to rise to 6.5 million tonnes, supported by higher demand and supply, Goel said. In FY25, India had exported over 6.0 million tonnes of basmati rice. The association is trying to expand the export market and sell basmati rice to Japan and some countries in southern Africa, which will support the current year's exports, Goel said.

 

On the country's basmati rice output in the crop year 2025-26 (Jul-Jun), Goel said heavy rainfall during the southwest monsoon over key basmati-growing states such as Punjab and Haryana is unlikely to affect the total output. This is mainly because of the prospects of higher output in other states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh, according to traders.

 

According to Goel's estimates, 10% of the basmati crop in Punjab has been damaged. Mumbai-based grains dealer Devendra Vora said just 1-2% of the crop in Haryana was damaged while 7-10% of the crop in Punjab was damaged. Goel said the country's basmati rice output in the crop year 2025-26 is expected to be largely steady at 8.0-8.5 million tonnes. He sees basmati paddy output at 15-16 million tonnes in 2025-26, also unchanged from 2024-25.

 

In late August and early September, key basmati-growing states Punjab and Haryana had witnessed flash floods causing severe damage to infrastructure and loss of life and crops. All 23 districts in Punjab were affected in the state's worst flood since 1988, according to reports. Some other states also reported substantial disruption and damage.

 

According to data from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, the average price of India's pusa basmati rice was steady on month at $925 per tonne in September. However, the price was down from $1,166.7 per tonne a year ago. Basmati rice prices were higher last year because of curbs on exports by the government.  End

 

US$1 = INR 88.78

IST, or Indian Standard Time, is five-and-a-half hours ahead of GMT

 

With inputs from Udita S. Jaiswal

Edited by Rajeev Pai

 

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