India has long been a leader in agricultural production, with grains among its top exports. At Liberty Exports, we proudly export high-quality grains to over 100 countries worldwide. This blog highlights India’s top cereal exports, past trends, and their significance in the global market.
India’s Cereal Exports – An Overview
India’s multiple agro-climatic regions position it as a strong producer of agricultural products like rice, wheat, maize, barley, and millet. Farmers in India grow these cereals not only for local consumption but also for export to countries worldwide. In the last ten years, Indian cereal exports have made significant strides in terms of volume and extent.
The top importers of Indian cereals include Saudi Arabia, Benin, Iran, Iraq, and Côte d’Ivoire. These countries rely on India for cereal supplies across a wide geographical region. These countries account for a significant portion of India’s cereal exports, demonstrating their strong confidence in Indian produce.
Key Markets and Trends of Cereal Exports (2015–2024)
Let’s delve into view some of the countries Indian cereals are mainly exporters to and some of the trends over the years.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has, without doubt, been one of the biggest recipients of imported Indian cereals, especially rice. With the quantities of exports increasing significantly during the period under review. The quantities surged from an estimated export quantity of 604,755,000 metric tons in 2015 to over 1,100,000 metric tons in the year 2023. Such a level of growth should not come by surprise. It shows that there has been a consistent market for Indian cereals, especially rice, in Saudi Arabia.
Benin
A major importer of non-Basmati rice, Benin, saw international purchases rise significantly. Cereal Exports, such as rice to Benin, which stood at 143661 metric tons in 2015 is noted to average about 428663 metric tons during the period between 2021 to 2024 (April-October). This growth shows the growing status of Indian cereals in the African markets.
Iran
India and Iran have had ups and downs in trade relations in terms of trading in cereals. Despite the fluctuations, Iran is still a relevant market even when it comes to Basmati rice. Exports reached a peak of over 1 million metric tons in 2018-2019 after growing from 386452 metric tons in 2015. However, this quantity has moderated in the subsequent years.
Iraq
The performance of exports to Iraq is even more commendable considering the steadfast demand for Indian cereals, wheat and rice in particular, in the country. The volume of exports has grown from 240,877 thousand metric tons in 2015 to over 753,000 thousand MT in 2023.
Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea
With time, there has been a noticeable shift in the Indian export market in terms of target markets. However, West African nations such as Cote d Ivoire, Guinea, etc are slowly gaining more prominence. The Federation of Cote d’Ivoire recorded a threefold increase in its imports from 98,975 thousand metric tons in 2015 to over 341,000 thousand MT in 2023. Guinea the other market has also been on an upward growth trajectory and in 2023 reached over 309,000 thousand MT.
Export trends over 2019-2024
Looking at the data for the period 2015-2024 throws up several interesting insights:
- The Increased Potential of African Markets: West Africa with the likes of Benin, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire markets has emerged as a powerful force in the consumption of Indian cereals. There are growing populations, increased incomes, and a fondness for Indian varieties of rice.
- The Middle East Continues to Demand: Countries in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Iraq in that order, are ever present in the lists of the highest importers. The demand for Basmati rice and wheat in this region reveals India’s strength in the particular region.
- Geopolitical Effects of Exports: Unfortunate international events and unfavourable conditions imposed by one nation on another shape the strange trade relations with Iran and Yemen. However, India’s commitment to quality enables the industry to maintain enduring relationships.
- Young countries in The Asian Region: Interest already shown by Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia in Indian cereals seems to be on the rise. After 2020, for example, Vietnam’s imports went up immensely to well over 400,000 thousand metric tons.
- Shifting Emphasis Away from Rice: Rice takes centre stage as the major focus area, but opportunities to export other cereals like wheat, maize, and millet have grown significantly over the years. Countries like Kenya and Somalia are increasingly embracing these cereals, expanding India’s range of cereal exports.
India’s Competitive Edge
What makes Indian cereals distinct when competing against foreign-produced ones? There are many among them:
- Quality Control: Indian rice and other cereals are known for their quality, taste and scent.
- Reasonably Priced: The intensive bulk production in India helps to keep prices down and the projects are easy for any foreign buyer.
- Better Coverage Area: Indian weather conditions alone provide for diverse varieties of climate enabling the growth of cereals for international markets.
- Sustainability Practices: Indian exporters are adopting sustainable farming and packaging practices that resonate with global phenomena.
Future Outlook
There is rising competition and increasing opportunities for Indian cereal exports in the international markets. Liberty Exports considers this the right time to offer newer markets around the globe that would open up more business opportunities for us.
Indians usually have a wide array of products to choose from hence spending has to increase on technology and other developments to have a sustainable competitive advantage. Working on other options such as offshore funding will also help Indian exporters to reduce risks in case the market performs poorly.
Liberty Exports: Your Trusted Partner in Quality
Liberty Exports offers a trusted platform for purchasing premium Indian rice, including varieties like Basmati, popular in regions like Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Maura, and Geoffrey. We aim to partner with like-minded importers and stakeholders to achieve excellence, one grain at a time. This blog highlights the Indian Cereal Export Industry’s strengths in quality, diversification, and trade networks. Share your feedback or suggestions to enhance it further!
