Rice Export to Bangladesh from India: How Many Tonnes Move Each Year?

India shipped roughly 1.4 million tonnes of non-basmati rice to Bangladesh in fiscal year 2025-26. That figure comes from the 9.3% share that APEDA reports for Bangladesh out of India’s 15.01 million tonnes of non-basmati exports. Volumes swing from year to year, because Bangladesh buys more from its neighbour when floods, price spikes, or thin stocks hit its own market. Let’s break down the numbers, the reasons behind them, and the rules exporters follow.

Quick Answer: How Much Rice Does India Send to Bangladesh?

• FY2025-26: about 1.4 million tonnes of non-basmati rice (estimated from APEDA’s 9.3% destination share).
• FY2024-25: about 800,000 tonnes, or 5.5% of India’s 14.13 million tonnes of non-basmati exports.
• Calendar year 2025: US$687.53 million in rice exports, according to UN Comtrade data.
• Rank: Bangladesh is the second-largest buyer of Indian non-basmati rice, behind Benin.

1. Rice Export to Bangladesh from India: Latest Volume and Value

APEDA, India’s agricultural food products export authority, reports that India exported 15.01 million tonnes of non-basmati rice in 2025-26, worth Rs 51,892 crore or US$5.82 billion. Bangladesh took 9.3% of that volume. Multiply the two numbers and you get about 1.4 million tonnes. Treat that as an estimate, because the APEDA page lists the percentage and not the tonnage.

Here is how the recent figures line up:

Look at all Indian rice, basmati included, and Bangladesh drops to 5.4% of exports in 2025-26. Basmati goes mainly to the Middle East. Bangladesh buys the non-basmati grades.

2. Why Bangladesh Rice Imports from India Change Every Year

Bangladesh grows most of its own rice. It turns to India when something threatens that supply. Here is why the numbers jump.

• Weather fears. Bangladesh decided to import early in 2025 because it feared excessive rain, according to bdnews24.
• Price spikes. Retail and wholesale prices rose sharply in early 2026, especially for steam rice, and Dhaka opened new import windows in response.
• Duty changes. Bangladesh removed tariffs on rice imports in late 2024. Private importers then sought permission to bring in 1.6 million tonnes from India, according to a Bangladeshi food official quoted by ANI.
• Indian policy. India restricted some rice exports in 2023 and placed a 20% duty on parboiled rice, as Prothom Alo reported. An industry guide says India lifted its remaining non-basmati restrictions by March 2025.

One policy shift can change a buyer’s plan within weeks. Exporters who track both capitals plan better.

3. Bangladesh’s Import Plan for FY2025-26

Bangladesh planned to import 900,000 tonnes of rice in FY2025-26. Private traders received 500,000 tonnes of that quota. Government-to-government deals and international tenders covered the other 400,000 tonnes.

In January 2026, Dhaka added 200,000 tonnes of parboiled rice for private imports. It permitted 232 private companies to bring that rice in by March 10, 2026, according to PTI. Indian millers in Kolkata welcomed the move and called India Bangladesh’s largest and most cost-effective supplier. That statement reflects the millers’ view, so read it as industry opinion.

Bangladesh’s food ministry data shows public and private rice imports reached 665,000 tonnes in July to December 2025. A year earlier, the same period saw only 175,000 tonnes. The ministry projected total FY26 rice imports from all origins above 1.4 million tonnes, close to the prior year’s volume.

4. Which Rice Types Bangladesh Buys from India

Bangladeshi buyers want parboiled and steam varieties. The ministry’s early 2026 notification limited private imports to non-aromatic parboiled rice with a maximum of 5% broken grains, according to Indian millers who reviewed it.

Government tenders follow the same pattern. One 2024 tender covered 50,000 tonnes of non-basmati parboiled rice from India. Aromatic basmati does not fit this demand. Bangladesh produces its own fine aromatic rice and buys Indian grades for staple use.

Common Indian non-basmati varieties include Sona Masuri, Ponni, HMT, IR-64, and Swarna, according to APEDA. Buyers should confirm the exact variety and specification in every contract.

5. What Importers Have Paid per Tonne

Price data helps buyers judge quotes. Late 2024 tenders give a reference point, although current prices will differ:

• November 2024: Bangladesh approved 50,000 tonnes at US477pertonnethroughanIndianexporter,thenanother50,000tonnesatUS471.60 per tonne.
• December 2024: The food ministry approved 50,000 tonnes at US$456.67 per tonne.
• 2024 open tender: One package of non-basmati parboiled rice cleared at US$454.14 per tonne.

Those prices sat between roughly US454andUS477. Freight, grade, and the exchange rate all move the final cost, so always request a fresh quote.

6. Where Indian Rice for Bangladesh Comes From

Trade reports name West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh as the main beneficiaries of Bangladeshi demand. Those states grow and mill the parboiled grades that Bangladesh wants.

Sea freight carries a large share of tender volumes. The first tender consignment from India reached Chattogram port on December 26, 2024, with 24,690 tonnes. The second, about 27,000 tonnes, sailed from Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh. Port choice matters, since congestion and draft limits affect lead times.

7. Rules Every Indian Rice Exporter Must Follow

India tightened its paperwork in 2025. Next steps for an exporter look like this:

1. Get an Import Export Code (IEC). The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) issues it.
2. Register with APEDA. Rice falls under APEDA’s cereals division, and exporters need a Registration-Cum-Membership Certificate (RCMC).
3. Register each non-basmati contract with APEDA. DGFT amended the export policy so that non-basmati exports are allowed only after contract registration with APEDA.
4. Prepare shipping documents. Standard sets include a commercial invoice, bill of lading, certificate of origin, and phytosanitary certificate.
5. Check Bangladesh’s rules. Confirm the buyer’s import permit, duty status, and tender terms before loading.

APEDA also posts advisories and FAQs on its cereals page. Check them before each shipment, because policy notes change quickly.

8. How Bangladesh Compares with Other Destinations

Bangladesh ranks high among buyers of Indian non-basmati rice, but it does not stand alone. APEDA lists the top 2025-26 destinations as follows:

West African buyers anchor the list. The APEDA chairman told S&P Global that India should not concentrate exports on one market and is pursuing buyers in China and Singapore. Bangladesh is a large but changeable customer, so many exporters balance it against steadier African orders.

9. What to Watch Next

Three signals will shape the next round of shipments:

• Amon crop outcomes. A strong harvest cuts Bangladeshi import appetite. Flood damage raises it.
• Dhaka’s duty and permit decisions. Duty cuts and new private import windows have opened volume quickly in the past.
• India’s export policy. Any change to duties, minimum prices, or registration rules reaches Bangladeshi buyers within days.

Buyers and exporters who monitor these three items can plan stock and freight earlier.

Currency and freight matter too. A weaker rupee can sharpen Indian quotes, while higher ocean rates can erase that edge. Bangladeshi importers compare Indian offers against other origins. In late 2024, Dhaka bought 50,000 tonnes of white rice from Pakistan, signed a government-to-government deal with Myanmar for 100,000 tonnes, and held talks with Vietnam. Indian suppliers who quote early, hold stock in the right grade, and ship on schedule keep their place when the competition sharpens. Buyers, for their part, gain from asking exporters for sample specifications and loading schedules in advance.

10. Where Srindhya Global Fits In

Srindhya Global is an import export company based in Karnataka. Its website lists rice under agricultural and food products, sourced from verified Indian manufacturers for wholesale importers and distributors. The company says every shipment carries a documentation package with a commercial invoice, bill of lading, and certificate of origin.

According to the site, Srindhya Global holds APEDA, ISO, and NABL certifications and applies no rigid minimum order quantity. The company names the GCC, Southeast Asia, Africa, the UK, and the USA as its current markets. It reviews other destinations case by case, so Bangladeshi buyers who want to discuss a requirement can send the product, quantity, and destination through the contact page. The team promises a reply within 24 hours.

Whichever supplier you choose, ask for the APEDA registration, the specification sheet, and the full document list before you sign.