New Delhi [India], October 24 (ANI): The mega rice conference -- Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025 - is set to be held at Bharat Mandapam here in the national capital this October 30-31, in close partnership with the Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

BIRC is being organised by the Indian Rice Exporters' Federation (IREF), a national-level body representing the country's rice eco-system and its diverse commercial and institutional stakeholders, including over 7,500 exporters and allied stakeholders across the country, in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), a statutory authority established under the APEDA Act, 1985, which is mandated with the responsibility of export promotion of agri products, including rice, a release said.

Conceived as a global platform aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, the mega conference will convene producers, exporters, importers, policymakers, financiers, logisticians, research institutions, and allied service providers to bring greater transparency, efficiency, and resilience to the global rice trade with sustainability, innovation, and transparent, rules-based commerce at its core.

The event is positioned to place India's convening platform on par with legacy international events, further strengthening India's position in the global food supply chains.

The event has received widespread support from key stakeholder line ministries and departments, along with bodies such as Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, The State Governments of Odisha, Telangana, Meghalaya, Assam, and Manipur, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Cooperative Institutions: National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL), Bhartiya Beej Sahakarita Samiti Ltd. (BBSSL), and Krishak Bharati Cooperative Agri Limited (Kribhco).

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) South Asia Regional Centre (IRRI-SARC), Varanasi, is the research and knowledge partner for the event, while E&Y and S&P Global are knowledge partners.

The event also has partner countries, namely the Philippines, Myanmar, Niger, Comoros, Jordan, Liberia, The Gambia, and Somalia.

The two-day programme is expected to see participation of 3,000 farmers and FPOs, buyers from several countries, foreign diplomatic missions represented by ministers, ambassadors, counsellors, and trade delegations from rice-importing countries; the concerned Ministers of the Philippines, Myanmar, The Gambia, and Ghana will be participating in the event

BIRC 2025 underlines that rice is the backbone of global food security. Global production has tripled since 1961, rising from about 216 million tonnes to nearly 776 million tonnes.

More than four billion people depend on rice for sustenance and income, including approximately 150 million smallholder farmers cultivating the crop across 100+ countries. Rice anchors a global industry of roughly USD 330 billion and is the third most-traded food commodity.

At the same time, rice is a resource-intensive staple--consuming an estimated 24-30% of global irrigation water, spanning roughly 167 million hectares (about 10% of global cropland). Paddy cultivation contributes to agricultural greenhouse-gas emissions, notably methane from continuously flooded fields--reinforcing the need for innovations in agronomy, irrigation, certification, and traceability, which BIRC 2025 will address through research-industry-policy dialogue.

India produced around 150 million tonnes of rice in 2024-25 from nearly 47 million hectares--about 28% of global output--with average yields improving from 2.72 tonnes per hectare in 2014-15 to about 3.2 tonnes per hectare in 2024-25, owing to better seed varieties, agronomic practices, irrigation coverage, technology adoption, and supportive policies.

India is the world's largest exporter of rice, accounting for 30% of global rice exports in 2024, with export value in FY 2024-25 of about 20.1 million metric tonnes valued at about USD 12.95 billion, reaching more than 172 countries.

BIRC 2025 will act as a launchpad for a Vision & Roadmap document that will outline rice sector-specific details of the action plan, aligned with the Ministry's long-term policies and vision. The final Vision & Roadmap document will be developed over the next six months, drawing upon the outcomes of the technical sessions, stakeholder consultations, and expert deliberations held during the upcoming Conference.

The event will target Rs 1.80 lakh crore in new rice import markets currently sourced from India's competitors, with Rs 25,000 crore worth of export MoUs/contracts identified.

To achieve this, BIRC 2025 will feature a Culinary Experience Zone by the Indian Rice Exporters Federation & APEDA, curated with the International Rice Research Institute and ITC Hotels, to convert acceptance into purchase intent and on-the-spot export onboarding.

BIRC 2025 will introduce India's first AI-based sorting technology, with a live launch and demonstration at Bharat Mandapam on 30-31 October. Unlike conventional colour sorters that operate solely on grain-colour detection, the new AI-driven system leverages Artificial Intelligence and Big Data to recognise not only colour but also shape, size, and structural differences in rice grains--performing colour sorting and broken-grain segregation simultaneously to deliver higher precision, efficiency, and cost savings while reducing power, manpower, and space requirements.

From Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Telangana, Odisha, Meghalaya, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana will showcase GI and speciality varieties, seed and agronomy packages, processing and storage capacities, FPO and cooperative clusters, organic and sustainability initiatives, logistics corridors and port linkages, investment opportunities, and buyer-connect desks.

To further reduce frictions in trade, finance, logistics, and compliance, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) will promote its Trade Connect e-Platform at BIRC 2025, offering a unified digital window on international trade for Indian exporters, including a single-window workflow for Certificates of Origin issued from India; information on tariffs applicable to Indian exports to over 180 countries; global trade show and event listings; detailed product and country guides; and tools that enable exporters to connect with buyers worldwide and create custom microsites that enhance visibility among importers seeking to source from India. In a technology milestone for the rice milling industry. (ANI)