India, Sept. 16 -- Indian rice exporters are turning their attention to unconventional markets such as Turkey and Jordan, betting that smaller, fast-growing destinations may offer better returns than the world's largest importing nations, as the industry gears up for the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2026 in October.

Indian rice shipments to Jordan have risen nearly eightfold, while basmati exports to Turkey have doubled, according to conference organisers - a shift that has caught the trade off guard given that neither country typically ranks among the world's top rice importers.

The trend will anchor a session titled "Top 10 Rice Markets to Watch in 2027: Demand Signals and Entry Strategies" at BIRC 2026, which will ques...