Indian Rice Exports Face Crisis Amid Iran Tariffs, Domestic Demand Surges

• Indian rice exporters, accounting for 20% of agricultural exports, face severe pressure due to global trade disruptions.
• US tariffs on Iran (25%) have significantly impacted India's second-largest basmati rice market, exacerbating existing challenges.
• Exporters are grappling with payment delays, Iranian Rial depreciation, banking restrictions, and increased shipping costs.
• Discussions with Indian authorities like APEDA are ongoing for policy support, payment security, and risk mitigation.
• Despite global oversupply and low non-basmati prices, domestic demand for nutritional and value-added rice is rising in India.

Why It Matters: Indian rice exports are struggling with global trade hurdles, but domestic demand for value-added rice is growing.