November 02, 2025. India’s coffee exports have recorded a remarkable surge in the financial year 2024-25, reaching $1.80 billion—a 40.2% rise over the $1.28 billion exported in FY 2023-24, according to the Department of Commerce. This marks the fourth consecutive year India has maintained its billion-dollar export milestone, fueled by growing global demand for its rich and distinctive coffee flavors.
Comprising mainly Arabica and Robusta varieties, which make up about 75% of production, Indian coffee is predominantly exported as unroasted beans. However, the expanding market for value-added products like roasted and instant coffee is further boosting exports. The country’s coffee cultivation is centered in the ecologically diverse Western and Eastern Ghats, with Karnataka leading production, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Currently, India ranks as the seventh-largest coffee producer globally. Export earnings have nearly doubled from $719.42 million in 2020-21 to $1.29 billion in FY 2023-24, continuing to climb strongly in FY25. In his recent 'Mann ki Baat' program, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the increasing global appreciation for Indian coffee and the role coffee cultivation plays as a livelihood for many. He praised coffee-growing regions like Chikmagalur, Coorg, and Hassan in Karnataka; Nilgiris and Annamalai in Tamil Nadu; and Wayanad and Malabar in Kerala, among others, for their unique coffee heritage. PM Modi also spotlighted Koraput coffee from Odisha, applauding the passionate cultivators, including corporate professionals who switched careers to coffee farming, and the empowerment of women in the industry. The North-Eastern states are equally advancing in coffee cultivation, further enhancing India’s coffee identity worldwide. Summing up, the Prime Minister said, “India’s coffee is coffee at its finest. It is brewed in India and loved by the world,” reflecting the country’s growing stature on the global coffee map.
November 02, 2025. India’s dependence on imported edible oils—nearly 16 million tonnes in 2023-24, covering 60% of domestic demand—remains a major food security challenge. Despite high agricultural output, fluctuating global markets and import duty changes have introduced volatility impacting prices, supply stability, and nutritional outcomes. This calls for a cohesive five-point strategy, including a dedicated edible oil security committee, multi-year tariff frameworks, and clear stakeholder engagement to ensure a resilient and transparent supply chain that safeguards vulnerable populations. This headline and opening line capture the urgency and strategic approach needed while refining the focus to policy robustness and food security. This aligns with the detailed context of imports, tariff issues, and nutritional importance provided.
November 02, 2025. India's ethanol blending program has witnessed an unprecedented transformation over the past 13 years, with supply increasing nearly 68 times from 15.40 crore liters in Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) 2012-13 to an allocated 1,048.10 crore liters for ESY 2025-26. This growth has driven ethanol blending in petrol from a negligible 0.67% to an impressive 19.17% in the first half of ESY 2024-25, bringing India close to achieving its 20% ethanol blending target by 2025. The country’s biofuel landscape has strategically shifted from reliance on sugar-based ethanol to over 70% grain-based feedstock, highlighting a major reorientation in the agriculture and energy sectors. This shift not only enhances energy security by reducing crude oil imports but also promotes farmer incomes by creating new demand for grain crops. Government initiatives supporting this revolution include expanding feedstock availability, introducing a transparent pricing mechanism, reducing GST on ethanol to 5%, and deploying interest subvention schemes for ethanol production. This transformation has also contributed significantly to environmental benefits, including substantial reductions in carbon emissions. India’s ambitious ethanol blending program showcases a successful model of sustainable energy transition that balances agricultural prosperity, energy security, and environmental sustainability.
October 31 . The International Pepper Community (IPC) remains hopeful for tariff exemptions as the US demand for pepper continues to be robust. Marina Novira Anggraini, Executive Director of IPC, highlighted that the American Spice Trade Association (ASTA), along with multiple embassies and the US Trade Representative, is actively engaged in lobbying for tariff relief for spices including black pepper. The existing temporary tariffs stand at 50% for India, 20% for Vietnam, and around 19-20% for other major pepper-producing countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Cambodia. These tariffs are subject to bilateral negotiations, and black pepper is specifically eligible for exemption under the Executive Order's "unavailable natural resources" category. The hopes are anchored on ongoing dialogues that aim to establish a constructive path towards tariff exemption to sustain the strong US market demand for pepper.
This aligns with the current dynamic in the US market where black pepper imports remain significant, despite high tariffs impacting trade. Advocacy efforts by ASTA and related stakeholders emphasize reducing these tariffs to levels closer to 20%, or ideally zero for agricultural products not grown domestically, which includes black pepper. The US market continues to rely heavily on pepper imports from India, Vietnam, and others, reflecting strong consumption trends and market potential.
This rephrased news headline and summary maintain the core details and provide clear, updated context on the tariff negotiations and strong pepper demand in the US market.
October 31 — The India Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA) has welcomed the government’s decision to impose an import duty on yellow peas, saying it will help stabilize domestic prices and prevent a further fall in the market.
Effective November 1, the government has levied a total tariff of 30 percent on yellow pea imports, comprising 10 percent customs duty and a 20 percent Agriculture Infrastructure Development Cess. The move comes amid growing concerns over a steep decline in global yellow pea prices that was affecting local markets.
Bimal Kothari, Chairman of IPGA, said the measure will help control the influx of cheaper imports and curb the downward trend in prices. “The yellow pea market has gone up by just about ₹2 to ₹2.5 per kg after the announcement. The whole idea behind the duty is to contain cheaper imports and stabilize the prices. We were expecting the prices to fall to ₹28–29 per kg, but now that level seems unlikely. Presently, yellow peas are trading around ₹35 per kg,” Kothari noted, adding that there has been no significant impact on prices of other pulses.
According to trade data, yellow pea import prices fell from about $375–400 per tonne last year to $300–320 per tonne this season. Kothari explained that even with the new duty in place, the effective landing price remains similar to last year. “Whatever price correction had to happen due to international trends has already occurred. Effectively, with the new duty, the cargo costs us nearly the same as last season,” he said.
Traders had initially sought a higher 50 percent duty to further discourage cheap imports and support domestic growers. However, the current 30 percent tariff is expected to keep imports in check while maintaining adequate supply for processors.
The pulse industry anticipates that the new duty structure will offer some relief to Indian farmers ahead of the upcoming rabi sowing season, particularly as yellow peas compete directly with chana (gram) and other domestic pulses in the food processing and livestock feed sectors.
October 31 . India's soybean meal exports dropped by 11 % to 20.23 lakh tonnes during the oil marketing year 2024-25 (October 2024 to September 2025), owing to reduced demand in the international market, according to the Soybean Processors Association of India (SOPA). Germany, France, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Kenya were the leading importers, accounting for about 55 percent of India's total soybean meal exports during this period.
SOPA Executive Director D N Pathak explained that the higher price of Indian soybean meal compared to major exporters like the United States, Brazil, and Argentina contributed to the decline in demand. Soybean meal, the residue after soybean oil extraction, serves as an important protein source and is widely used in food products such as soy flour and chunks, along with animal, poultry, and fish feed. India's soybean meal exports had stood at 2.275 million tonnes in the previous oil marketing year 2023-24, indicating a significant drop in the latest year due to global price competitiveness challenges.
New Delhi, October 30: India is set to reaffirm its global leadership in rice through the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025, scheduled for 30–31 October 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Organised by the Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF) in collaboration with APEDA and the Department of Commerce, the event will bring together 3,000 farmers, FPOs, 2,500 exporters, and 1,000+ foreign buyers from 80+ countries. Supported by multiple ministries and state governments, BIRC 2025 will showcase India’s rice diversity, innovation, and sustainability vision aligned with Viksit Bharat @2047. Highlights include the launch of India’s first AI-based rice sorting technology, MoUs worth ₹25,000 crore, and state pavilions featuring GI-tagged and organic rice varieties.
The event aims to capture ₹1.80 lakh crore in new export markets, reinforcing India’s position as the world’s largest rice exporter.
