Overview
- Trade groups estimate roughly 400,000 tonnes of basmati are stuck at ports or in transit, with Punjab–Haryana exporters valuing stranded cargo at ₹3,500–₹4,000 crore.
- Marine insurers have suspended new cover for Gulf routes and major lines have halted bookings or offloaded containers at intermediary ports, with 20‑foot box rates near $3,700 and emergency surcharges of $2,000–$5,000; a recent Iranian grain‑export ban has also raised transit‑cargo risks via Bandar Abbas.
- Basmati prices in India have dropped about 7–10% in the past 72 hours as delayed shipments push more stock into the domestic market.
- The Indian Rice Exporters Federation has sought waivers on port storage and demurrage, flexibility to redirect cargo, temporary working‑capital support from banks, and an advisory recognizing force‑majeure conditions.
- With 17.08 million tonnes shipped by January toward a 20.8‑million‑tonne annual goal, exporters say moving the remaining 3.7 million tonnes hinges on a rapid restoration of insurer cover and shipping access.