India is stepping up efforts to expand its rice exports to the Philippines, the world’s largest importer of the grain, as it seeks to tap into a largely untapped market.
A high-level delegation of Indian exporters will travel to the Philippines in September to explore trade opportunities for rice, vegetables, groundnuts, and meat, a commerce ministry official said.
The Philippines, which imported agricultural goods worth about USD 20 billion in 2024, is a key market for India. Major imports include semi-milled rice, wheat, palm oil, oilcake, and processed food. India’s agricultural exports to the Philippines stood at USD 413 million in 2024, accounting for just 2% of Manila’s total farm imports.
While India is the world’s largest rice exporter, valued at USD 11.83 billion in 2024-25, its rice exports to the Philippines were only USD 48.91 million in the same period. By comparison, the Philippines imported rice worth USD 2.52 billion in 2024, highlighting what officials call a “significant untapped opportunity.”
To strengthen trade ties, Philippine food importers will also attend World Food India from September 25th to 28th and the International Rice Conference in October, the first large-scale rice trade fair of its kind.
Beyond Southeast Asia, India is also bolstering agricultural exports to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Exports to the region rose from USD 480 million in 2023-24 to USD 628 million in 2024-25, with Russia playing a key role. The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has been showcasing Indian produce at global platforms such as World Food Moscow to drive this growth.
Officials say these initiatives will give Indian exporters a chance to expand market share, build new partnerships, and deepen existing trade relations in both the Philippines and CIS regions.