New Delhi [India], October 22 (ANI): The Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026 will open at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi tomorrow, October 23, with 32,467 registrations, including 4,856 buyers from 153 countries, said BIRC.

The three-day conference, running from October 23 to 25, will bring together exporters, importers, millers, policymakers and food businesses to explore new markets, assess the 2027 rice price outlook and examine opportunities to improve returns across the industry.

The event will feature 65 speakers, nine knowledge sessions and 2,038 business-to-business meetings already scheduled through the BIRC digital platform. Participants from 23 Indian states will connect the country's rice-producing, processing and trading centres with international buyers.

Exhibition space has been fully sold out for the second consecutive year, the release said.

The EY team will coordinate one-to-one buyer-seller meetings during the conference, facilitating discussions on sourcing requirements, rice varieties, quality specifications and potential orders.

"With 2,038 meetings already scheduled, the focus is on meaningful business engagement from the start," said Dev Garg, National Vice President, IREF.

"The next chapter of India's rice trade must be about creating more value, not simply selling more tonnes," he added.

The knowledge programme, scheduled for October 23 and 24, will cover crop surveys, price forecasting, new export markets, documentation, insurance, credit, shipping, quality certification, policy, sustainability and profitable rice milling.

The opening session, titled "Global Rice Demand and Supply Outlook 2027: Price Crash or New Bull Run?", will examine possible price movements in Basmati and non-Basmati rice.

Another session will assess the top 10 rice markets to watch in 2027 against factors including demand, competition, product suitability, costs and payment risk.

Nine Experience Zones, including the Global Rice Archive, will showcase rice varieties, farming communities, cuisines and commercial uses.

A public-facing Rice Festival on October 25 will welcome consumers, chefs and families, with ITC Hotels curating the culinary section. Activities will include chef competitions, an influencer cook-off, cultural performances and quizzes.

The conference will take place in Halls 4 and 5 of Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, with knowledge sessions also available through live streaming. (ANI)