News Capsule: Basmati Exports Affected by Iran War
09-Mar-2026 04:16 PM
News Capsule: Basmati Exports Affected by Iran War
★ India’s basmati rice exports have been impacted due to the ongoing war involving Iran. Around 400,000 tons of basmati rice are reportedly stuck at ports and on ships. Shipping companies have imposed a war surcharge of about $2,000 per container, while each container typically carries around 20 tons of rice.
★ India exports nearly 6 million tons of basmati rice annually, valued at about ₹50,000 crore. Around 25% of total basmati exports go to Iran and about 45% to Gulf countries.
★ If the situation does not improve soon, basmati prices in the domestic market could decline, which may lead to losses for farmers and could also affect basmati sowing in the next season.