Addressing the 2nd edition of Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026 organised by the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) and the APEDA, Paswan said there is considerable scope to deepen the rice value chain, from paddy cultivation to the dining table.
Traceability, sustainability, quality certification, research, innovation and processed rice products need greater attention, he said.
For decades after independence, the country’s priority was food security and higher production, he noted.
“The Green Revolution helped India overcome food deficits. Today, with strong production capacity, we must focus on processing, quality, branding, traceability, sustainability and value addition,” he said.
Linking the push to the Prime Minister’s goal of a developed India by 2047, Paswan said food processing would play a major role in achieving it. While some sectors may be nearing saturation, food processing and allied verticals hold enormous untapped potential, he added.
The Prime Minister’s vision is for India to emerge as a global food basket, meeting its own needs while contributing to global food security.”Rice will be central to this ambition,” he said, adding that the Ministry of Food Processing Industries is working through its schemes to strengthen processing infrastructure, encourage innovation and expand value-added exports.
India is one of the world’s largest rice exporters, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of global rice trade, Paswan said.
“This gives India both a major responsibility and a major opportunity,” he said, asking how exports could be strengthened, quality improved and global best practices adopted while sharing India’s strengths with partner countries.
Recalling the “Saptadhara”, or seven streams of strength for national development, outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort, Paswan said manufacturing and agriculture were especially relevant to the rice sector.
In manufacturing, the aim should be to cut import dependence and produce more machinery, equipment and technology for the rice value chain domestically, from cultivation equipment to processing technology, he said.
In agriculture, India’s strength lies in its farmers and production base, he said. Food processing links this strength to industry, employment, exports and higher farmer incomes, and strengthening that link is essential for rural prosperity and industrial growth, he added.
Paswan said the government is pursuing major reforms to improve global connectivity and ease of doing business. “We are expanding trade agreements, including free trade agreements, to promote the exchange of goods, services, technology and best practices,” he said.
Such pacts, he added, can boost exports and give Indian industry access to advanced technologies and global markets, while allowing India to share its expertise in rice production, processing and trade with partner countries.
“I assure all international delegates that the government is committed to creating a seamless, predictable and business-friendly environment. When industry grows, the nation grows with it,” he said.