Indian rice exporters told to be very careful with shipments to west Asia

Indian rice exporters have been told to show maximum care when they sign new shipping deals for west Asian countries. The Indian Rice Exporters Federation gave this warning after reports of attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Prem Garg, who leads the Federation, said current rice exports to west Asian nations are about 70 to 80 tonnes a month. This volume is only 10 percent of what India shipped before the Iran war. Mr. Garg warned that any attack on cargo ships will hurt trade and make it hard to find available vessels. The Federation pointed out that the security situation is getting worse near Persian Gulf ports, such as Umm Qasr in Iraq. The advisory asks exporters, shipowners, and charterers to check updated security details and confirm their insurance before they plan any voyage through the area. Shippers sending goods to Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, and other Persian Gulf spots must stay in touch with their shipping agents at all times.

Context

The Strait of Hormuz is a key water route for trade in the middle east, and problems there often raise shipping costs and insurance rates everywhere. When safety risks go up in major trade channels, goods take longer to reach buyers and shipping lines face heavy delays. This situation directly impacts food and farm exports from India to global markets.