New Delhi [India], August 3 : Registrations for the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026 have crossed 19,193, including 2,135 international buyer registrations, nearly three months ahead of the event, reflecting growing global interest in India's rice industry stated the Indian Rice Exporters' Federation (IREF) in a statement on Monday.
The event is the second edition of the Bharat International Rice Conference, which will be held from October 23 to 25 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The organisers expect participation from more than 30,000 delegates representing over 120 countries, making it one of the largest international gatherings of the global rice sector.
The organisers said the strong registration numbers indicate increasing global interest in India as the world's largest rice producer and exporter and highlight the need for a dedicated platform where stakeholders across the rice value chain can discuss emerging opportunities and challenges.
The registration milestone follows the inaugural edition of BIRC held in 2025, which was recognised by EY's post-conference assessment as the world's largest dedicated rice conference by scale and participation.
The first edition brought together 10,854 participants, including 1,083 international buyers from more than 90 countries, and facilitated trade commitments worth an estimated ₹33,453 crore, covering 8.63 million metric tonnes of rice.
According to the organisers, BIRC is designed to go beyond a conventional trade exhibition by bringing together business networking, market intelligence, policy discussions and knowledge-sharing on a single platform. The conference aims to help participants understand changing trade trends, strengthen business partnerships and identify new opportunities across the global rice value chain.
The 2026 edition will introduce several new initiatives to support business decision-making across the industry. These include a coordinated global crop survey and future rice price projections based on expected global demand and supply.
The conference will also feature business-focused knowledge sessions, app-enabled business-to-business meetings and curated experience zones showcasing the evolution, innovation and global significance of rice. The organisers said detailed announcements on these initiatives will be made in the coming weeks.
Commenting on the response to the event, Dev Garg, Vice President, IREF, 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."
According to the organisers, the long-term objective is to develop BIRC into a global platform that promotes trade, knowledge exchange and collaboration across the international rice ecosystem while reinforcing India's leadership in the global rice trade.
Registrations for BIRC 2026 remain open, and the organisers expect participation to continue rising in the months leading up to the conference.