Saudi Arabia is the largest buyer of Indian Basmati rice.
India’s Basmati rice is in discussion these days for a special reason. In fact, about four lakh tonnes of rice is stuck at different ports of the country. The reason is the ongoing tension in the Middle East. This data is only for March-April 2026. Due to this, exporters are suffering huge losses. Until the Middle East returns to normal, such obstacles are likely to persist. Due to obstruction in import and export, the entire supply chain has become derailed. Probably due to these few concrete reasons, PM Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed to the countrymen to reduce the use of petrol and diesel. Promote work from home culture. Talking about India’s Basmati rice, Saudi Arabia is its biggest buyer.
Now the question is why Saudi Arabia likes Indian Basmati rice, what are the 5 reasons for this, where in the world is Basmati rice exported? How much is exported? Which are the top five countries which import Basmati from India?
60 lakh metric tons of Basmati rice reached the whole world
India’s Basmati rice has its own identity across the world. Its aroma, long grains and its taste after cooking make it special. This is the reason why its demand is very high in Gulf countries. Among these, Saudi Arabia has come forward. Now it has become the largest country to buy Basmati rice from India.
The biggest strength of Basmati rice is its aroma.
In the financial year 2024-25, India exported 60.65 lakh metric tons of Basmati rice to the world. Its total cost was Rs 50,312 crore. India sent this rice to 154 countries. It is clear from these figures that the Indian Basmati market is continuously strengthening.
On the basis of quantity, the top five importers of Basmati rice from India in the financial year 2024-25 are Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Yemen and UAE. These five countries together purchased about 37.14 lakh metric tons of Indian Basmati. That means, about 61 percent of the total exports went to these five markets only. This shows that West Asia is the strongest center of Basmati export of India.
After Saudi, Iraq is the largest importer of Indian Basmati rice.
How did Saudi Arabia become the largest importer?
Saudi Arabia purchased about 11.73 lakh metric tons of Basmati rice from India in the financial year 2024-25. This is more than any other country. In this way Saudi Arabia became the largest buyer of Indian Basmati. Now the question is why Saudi likes Indian Basmati so much? There are many solid reasons behind this.
1- Fragrance and taste are the biggest reasons
The biggest strength of Basmati rice is its aroma. In Saudi Arabia, both aroma and taste are given great importance in food. Kabsa, biryani, rice with meat and special feast dishes are very popular there. For these dishes, rice is required which remains in separate grains after cooking. Indian Basmati meets this criterion. When Basmati ripens, the grains become longer. It doesn’t stick. This quality is very much liked in both traditional and modern Saudi food.
India has been a major producer and exporter of Basmati rice for a long time.
2- Good match with Saudi food
Rice is an important part of everyday food in Saudi Arabia. Not only bread or meat, but many rice based dishes are prepared and eaten there. Be it a family feast, wedding, Ramzan or hotel menu, the demand for rice always remains. Indian Basmati tastes especially good with mutton, chicken and spicy dishes. Its grains remain long and also look attractive on the plate, hence its demand is high in homes as well as in restaurants, hotels and catering sectors.
3- Trust in Indian quality
India has been a major producer and exporter of Basmati rice for a long time. Many buyers across the world have confidence in the quality of Indian Basmati. Saudi Arabia is also one of those markets where stable quality matters a lot. Indian exporters have understood the needs of the Saudi market for years. They provide rice in different grades, packing and quality. This is the reason why importers and businessmen there prefer to work with Indian suppliers for a long time.
India increased its exports from 150 countries to 154 countries in one year.
4- Impact of Indian and South Asian population
A large number of Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and other South Asian people live in Saudi Arabia. Basmati rice is very common in the diet of these people. They use it in homes also and like it in hotels and restaurants too. Due to the expatriate population, the demand for Indian food products remains strong in the Saudi market. Basmati is consumed consistently in Indian grocery stores, super-markets and food service channels. This further strengthens the import base.
5- Balance of supply, availability and price
Taste alone is not enough for any country. Regular supply is also necessary. India is able to continuously send large quantities of Basmati rice to Saudi Arabia. This is a big reason. Indian Basmati offers a balance of premium quality and mass availability. Saudi importers are confident that they will receive the goods on time. Additionally, options are also available in different price ranges. This trade facility gives India an edge.
Basmati rice is not just an agricultural product, it is also the global identity of India.
Basmati rice reaching 154 countries
According to the latest available data, India exported 60.65 lakh metric tonnes of Basmati rice to the world in the financial year 2024-25. Its total cost was Rs 50,312 crore. This is a better performance than last year. In terms of quantity, an increase of about 15.7 percent was recorded. This figure shows that despite global uncertainty, the demand for Indian Basmati did not weaken. On the contrary, the market has expanded further. India increased its exports from 150 countries to 154 countries in one year.
Actually Indian Basmati rice is not just an agricultural product. This is also the global identity of India. Its popularity has increased in Saudi Arabia due to many reasons. Taste, aroma, food culture, reliable quality, migrant population and strong supply chain have made it a favorite. Latest figures show that India’s Basmati exports are in a strong position, the immediate supply bottleneck will be resolved very soon. It should be expected that Basmati rice will prove to be a major source of foreign exchange in the coming times.
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