India is the world's second largest producer of Rice, Wheat and other cereals. The huge demand for cereals in the global market is creating an excellent environment for the export of Indian cereal products. In 2008, India had imposed ban on export of rice and wheat etc to meet domestic needs. Now, seeing the huge demand in the global market and country's surplus production, Country has lifted the ban, but only limited amount of export of the commodity are allowed. The allowed marginal quantity of exports cereals could not make any significant impact either on domestic prices or the storage conditions.

The important cereals are - wheat, paddy, sorghum, millet (Bajra), barley and maize etc. According to the advance estimate for the year 2010-11 by ministry of agriculture of India, the production of major cereals like rice, wheat, maize and bajra stood at 87.10 million tonnes, 85.93 million tonnes, 14.06 million tonnes and 8.61 million tonnes respectively,

India is not only the largest producer of cereal as well as largest exporter of cereal products in the world. India's export of cereals stood at Rs. 14567.28 crore during the year 2010-11. Rice (including Basmati and Non Basmati) occupy the major share in India's total cereals export with 74% during the same period. Whereas, other cereals including wheat and milled products represent 26% share in total cereals exported from India during this period. The major importing countries of India's cereals during the period were Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Kuwait and Bangladesh.