New Delhi, Sept. 25 -- Indian rice shipments faces rejection in overseas markets due to pesticide residues exceeding permitted limits, contamination, differences in product specifications and testing protocols, as well as documentation and certification gaps, highlighting the need for stronger compliance across the export supply chain, according to the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF).

The issue assumes significance as India remains the world's largest rice exporter, with the country exporting 20.19 million metric tonnes of rice valued at USD 12.47 billion in 2024-25, according to APEDA data cited by IREF.

According to the federation, problems leading to rejection can originate at different stages of the supply chain. Pesticide-r...