Basmati Rice Exporters Urge Government to Take Action on Shipping Charges

27-Apr-2026 08:18 PM

New Delhi. The Basmati Rice Farmers and Exporters Development Forum has urged the Central Government to take immediate steps regarding the issue of shipping charges, stating that amidst the ongoing crisis in West Asia, shipping companies are arbitrarily levying charges. Consequently, exporting Basmati rice has become economically unviable for many traders.

According to the Forum, the 'War Risk Surcharge' has been hiked from $800 to $6,000 per container, and it is often imposed without any prior notice. Information regarding this surcharge is frequently conveyed only after the cargo vessel has already departed. In some instances, this charge escalates to as much as 60 to 70 percent of the total value of the goods contained within the cargo. There is an urgent need to put an immediate stop to this practice.

According to the Forum, exporters are informed that they must bear the entire financial liability for these circumstances—a burden that lies completely beyond their control. A statement issued by the Forum notes that, due to the West Asia crisis, shipping companies are arbitrarily detaining vessels at transshipment hubs, such as Jebel Ali.

There is often no clarity regarding when the onward journey will resume; in some cases, vessels are even recalled to their original ports of departure. The entire financial burden resulting from these occurrences falls upon the exporters, despite their having no prior knowledge or intimation regarding such developments.

The Forum asserts that the Ministry of Shipping should issue directives to strictly limit shipping charges for cargo solely to the actual services rendered. Shipping companies should be prohibited from attempting to recover disputed fees and should be instructed to release cargo without demanding such payments, thereby ensuring that no additional financial burden is imposed upon the exporters.