Agriculture, Maritime & Shipping, Rice
August 19, 2026
INTERACTIVE: India, Pakistan rice trade volatile as Middle East demand falls
By Ayushi Baloni and Namarita Kathait
Editor:
HIGHLIGHTS
Hormuz crisis disrupts Basmati shipments
Container rates spike amid March export decline
Food security drives partial April recovery
Strait of Hormuz disruptions in February strained freight capacity, sharply reducing rice shipments from India and Pakistan to the Middle East. Month-on-month export declines followed in March as container rates spiked, despite supportive end-user demand. A partial rebound in exports in late March-April eased supply concerns as food-security needs outweighed costs, with prices declining while origin differentials persisted.
