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Google signs its biggest rice-methane carbon credit deal with Indian startup Mitti Labs
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Google has agreed to buy 1 million carbon credits from Indian startup Mitti Labs through 2030, the largest publicly announced deal for credits from cutting methane in rice farming. The four-year agreement covers farms in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, reaching 100,000 hectares at peak delivery, said Xavier Laguarta. Financial terms were undisclosed.
The project pays farmers to reduce flooding, cutting methane and saving water. Mitti Labs says the method can cut methane emissions by 50% and water use by 40% without reducing yields. The deal comes as Google works toward net-zero emissions by 2030 while investing in AI infrastructure. Its 2025 emissions grew 18% to 14.5 million metric tons of CO2e.
Talks with Google began a year ago as the tech company explored adding methane-reduction projects to its carbon-credit portfolio, Laguarta told TechCrunch. Google was drawn to the project's water savings and Mitti Labs' ability to operate at scale. The deal will allow Mitti Labs to expand further and work with corporate buyers.
"Having Google, one of the most sophisticated buyers with rigorous due diligence processes, is a good signal for us," Laguarta said. Google's evaluation included scrutiny of its monitoring technology and farm visits. The startup's projects have saved more than 500 billion liters of water over the past two years.
Founded in 2023, the New York- and Bengaluru-based startup built a GeoAI platform combining satellite radar imagery with field measurements to track crops. It uses synthetic aperture radar imagery from satellites, with resolutions from 50 centimeters to 10 meters. It trains its AI models on proprietary data.
Credits can be issued under Gold Standard or Isometric, two certification bodies, Laguarta said, and undergo third-party verification. The deal signals growing corporate demand for agricultural carbon credits. It could help Google offset emissions while supporting water conservation.
