India’s rice industry expects Africa to remain a stable long-term export market, despite some countries moving toward reduced imports, according to Mukesh Jain, president of the Chhattisgarh Rice Exporters Association, speaking with analysis firm Platts, reported by Ecofin Agency.
Jain said that while Nigeria is working to curb imports under its self-sufficiency program and Senegal recently halted rice purchases for one month to clear domestic stocks, these steps will not affect India’s broader growth prospects on the continent.
“Africa will remain a stable market for India,” he said, explaining that even if countries such as Nigeria reduce imports, the transition toward self-sufficiency is expected to unfold gradually over five to ten years.
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The comments come as India anticipates a record rice harvest for the 2025/2026 season.
Under projections from the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF), exports could reach up to 30 million tons, the highest level ever recorded.
To achieve this target, exporters plan to boost shipments to Africa, especially as major Asian buyers including Indonesia and the Philippines have paused imports.
TradeMap figures show India exported about 9 million tons of rice to Africa in 2024, nearly half of its total global shipments, valued at approximately $4.5 billion.
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Image Credit: IFPRI
