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Informist, Thursday, Apr. 16, 2026

 

MUMBAI – The value of India's rice exports in March fell over 15% on year to $997.5 million, while in 2025-26 (Apr-Mar), it was down nearly 8% on year at $11.54 billion, according to data released by the commerce ministry. Exports of other cereals rose over 108% to $57.94 million in March, and were up 64% on year to $445.65 million in FY26. 

 

Exports of most farm commodities, including plantation crops, tobacco, fruits, vegetables, and oilseeds and their derivatives registered a fall in March. However, some categories saw an on-year rise in exports in FY26. 

 

Tea exports from India during March fell nearly 35% on year to $53.21 million, but rose 7% on year to $988.1 million in FY26. Coffee exports were down over 14% on year at $226.2 million in March, but rose over 15% on year to $2.08 billion in FY26. 

 

The country's tobacco exports fell 21% on year in March and 2% on year in FY26 to $109.8 million and $1.95 billion, respectively. Spices exports also fell nearly 21% on year to $413.74 million in March and over 4% on year to $4.26 billion in FY26. 

 

The value of cashew exports in March fell over 40% on year to $15.16 million, but rose over 12% on year to $379.51 million in FY26. Oilseeds and oilmeals exports fell 32% and 34% on year in March to $73.42 million and $79.81 million, respectively. In FY26, oilmeal exports saw a larger fall of 23% on year to $1.04 billion, compared to oilseed exports that fell over 9% on year to $1.22 billion. 

 

The country's fruit and vegetable exports fell nearly 16% on year to $402 million in March, but rose over 1% to $3.93 billion in FY26. 

 

Meanwhile, exports of high-value farm commodities such as marine products rose 14% on year to $8.43 billion while those of meat, dairy, & poultry rose 22% on year to $6.21 billion in FY26. However, these products did not perform well in overseas markets in March as marine product exports were barely 1% up on year at $680.3 million, and meat, dairy, and poultry exports fell 3% on year to $469.4 million last month. 

 

India's petroleum products exports rose nearly 6% on year to $5.18 billion in March, but fell 15% on year to $53.91 billion in FY26. Meanwhile, gems and jewellery exports fell over 29% on year to $2.04 billion in March, and were down over 5% on year at $28.21 billion in FY26. 

 

IMPORTS

India's silver imports jumped nearly 417% on year to $616.48 million in March, and rose 150% on year to $12.05 billion in Apr-Mar. Gold imports fell nearly 32% on year to $3.06 billion in March, but rose 24% on year to $71.9 billion in FY26.

 

India's imports of farm commodities such as vegetable oils, fruits and vegetables increased in March, while imports of cotton raw and waste, and pulses fell during the month, the data showed.

The value of India's vegetable oil imports rose nearly 24% on year to $1.52 billion in March, and increased over 12% on year to $19.48 billion in FY26. Imports of fruits and vegetables were up nearly 10% from the previous year at $312.56 million in March, and up 17% on year at $3.8 billion in FY26

 

The country's imports of cotton raw and waste fell more than 30% from last year to $55.03 million during March, but rose 55% on year to $1.88 billion in FY26. India's pulses imports were down nearly 22% on year at $342.79 million in March, and fell nearly 35% on year to $3.57 billion in FY26. 

 

Among non-agricultural commodities, imports of petroleum, crude, and products fell 36% on year to $12.18 billion in March, and were down 6.4% on year at $173.95 billion in FY26. Imports of coal, coke, and briquettes rose over 13% on year to $2.54 billion in March, but fell over 10% on year to $27.90 billion in FY26.  End

 

US$1 = INR 93.30

 

Reported by Shreya Shetty

Edited by Vandana Hingorani

 

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