New Delhi [India], September 30 (ANI): Value-added rice products, including convenience foods, bran oil, protein and husk-derived industrial materials, could open new growth opportunities for India's rice industry by helping businesses earn more from each tonne of grain, according to the Indian Rice Exporters' Federation (IREF).

The Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026, scheduled for October 23-25 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, will examine these opportunities and identify promising products based on an IREF-EY assessment.

"The next opportunity is not simply to export more tonnes of rice, but to earn more value from each tonne. A miller, an exporter and an ingredient manufacturer will need different pathways," said Rajeev Setia, President, Basmati, speaking on behalf of IREF.

Rice noodles and convenience foods represent one potential growth area. According to Grand View Research estimates cited in the IREF press release, the global rice-noodle market is projected to expand from USD 6.4 billion in 2024 to USD 11 billion by 2030, adding approximately USD 4.6 billion in annual market value.

Asia-Pacific accounted for 63.4 per cent of market revenue in 2024, providing a starting point for businesses exploring product development and market entry, the release said.

For rice millers, bran oil offers an opportunity to generate additional value from processing. The global rice-bran-oil market is forecast to grow from USD 4.8 billion in 2023 to USD 6.3 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research estimates.

Separately, NITI Aayog's 2024 edible-oil report estimated India's rice-bran-oil potential at 1.9 million tonnes, including 8.5 lakh tonnes that remained untapped at the time.

Specialised ingredients such as rice protein, rice flour and functional starches will also feature in the conference discussions. The global rice-protein market is projected to rise from USD 168.5 million in 2023 to USD 281.4 million by 2030, an increase of approximately 67 per cent, the release said, citing Grand View Research.

The conference will examine customer specifications, processing requirements and the commercial viability of producing these ingredients.

Opportunities also extend to industrial uses of rice by-products. The global rice-husk-ash-based silica market is projected to more than double from USD 640.6 million in 2025 to approximately USD 1.41 billion by 2033, with rubber and tyres accounting for 40 per cent of revenue in 2025, according to estimates cited in the release.

The release pointed to Goodyear's announcement on using silica derived from waste rice husk ash in its 2025 European truck-racing tyres as an example of industrial adoption.

"At BIRC 2026, we want to distinguish attractive market forecasts from businesses that can actually be built-identifying the products, buyers, investment requirements and partnerships that can turn potential into commercial growth," Setia said.

The IREF-EY assessment will compare demand, achievable margins, investment requirements, processing yields, market access and export potential. It will also assess the share of global growth Indian businesses could realistically capture and profitability after processing costs.

The conference session, "Beyond Raw Rice: The Next Billion-Dollar Opportunity," will cover premium and speciality rice, ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat products, and better utilisation of rice by-products. Additional opportunities under discussion will include sake, ethanol and bioenergy. (ANI)