The Indian Rice Exporters' Federation (IREF) expects over 30,000 participants at the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026, scheduled for New Delhi from October 23 to 25, according to a media statement reported by The Hindu BusinessLine's BL Mangaluru Bureau. Registrations for the second edition have already crossed 19,193, including 2,135 international buyer registrations, nearly three months ahead of the event, the statement said.
Record participation expected across 120 countries
The organisers expect participation from more than 30,000 delegates representing over 120 countries, the statement said, which would make the event one of the largest international gatherings of the rice sector. BIRC is a global platform dedicated exclusively to the rice sector, bringing together stakeholders from across the rice value chain — exporters, importers, millers, traders, policymakers, researchers, logistics companies, financial institutions and technology providers — to discuss trade, policy, innovation and emerging market opportunities.
Registration momentum vs the 2025 edition
The previous edition in 2025 brought together 10,854 participants, including 1,083 international buyers from more than 90 countries, and facilitated trade commitments estimated at ₹33,453 crore, covering 8.63 million tonnes of rice, the statement said. The registration figures for 2026 show the scale of growth in the conference's second year:
| Metric | BIRC 2025 (previous edition) | BIRC 2026 (second edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Total participants | 10,854 | Over 30,000 expected |
| International buyers | 1,083 from more than 90 countries | 2,135 international buyer registrations |
| Registrations ahead of event | Not stated | 19,193 crossed nearly 3 months prior |
| Trade commitments | ₹33,453 crore across 8.63 million tonnes | — |
New initiatives: global crop survey and price projections
The 2026 edition will introduce several new initiatives to strengthen business decision-making across the industry, according to the statement:
- A coordinated global crop survey
- Projection of future prices based on expected global demand and supply for rice
- Business-focused knowledge sessions
- App-enabled B2B meetings
- Curated experience zones highlighting the evolution, innovation and global significance of rice
For commodity traders and procurement teams, the planned global crop survey and forward price projections extend the conference's function beyond networking into structured market intelligence for the global rice value chain.
IREF on building a common rice-trade platform
BIRC brings together business networking, market intelligence, policy discussions and knowledge-sharing on a single platform, the statement said. The conference is designed to help participants understand changing trade trends, strengthen business partnerships and identify new opportunities across the global rice value chain.
Quoting Dev Garg, Vice President of IREF, the statement said:
When we launched BIRC last year, our objective was to create a common platform where the global rice industry could meet, exchange ideas and build long-term business relationships. The response to the second edition indicates that the industry sees value in such a platform. We remain focused on creating practical business outcomes while strengthening India's position in global rice trade.
With the previous edition's ₹33,453 crore in facilitated trade commitments and registrations already past 19,193, BIRC 2026 is set to draw one of the largest international gatherings of the rice sector, according to IREF, ahead of the October 23-25 event in New Delhi. The statement was published on August 5, 2026.
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