KOLKATA: Labour shortage and scarcity of containers at the ports has hit India’s rice exports to Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. While Africa imports non-basmati rice from India, the Gulf countries rely on India’s basmati rice for their domestic consumption.

“Trucks are standing at the Deendayal and Mundra ports for a minimum seven days as there is no labour to unload the trucks,” said Gautam Miglani, owner of LRNK, a Haryana-based basmati rice exporter. “Also, since imports of all products have lessened, containers are not coming to the ports. This is creating a lot of problems for basmati rice exporters. Exports are getting delayed.”

Miglani said this year Saudi Arabia and the UAE have emerged as the biggest buyers of basmati rice. “Exports to Iran have gone down as there are payment issues with the country. Exporters from India are yet to get their payments. Nearly 300,000 tonnes of basmati rice is lying at Iranian ports,” he said.

In 2019-20, India had exported 4.4 million tonnes of basmati rice.

The problem is not restricted to basmati rice producers. Non-basmati rice producers from West Bengal and Jharkhand are facing a similar problem in shipping cheaper variety rice to Africa.

“As migrant workers have left, there is a huge shortage of labourers. The demand from Africa is very strong, yet shipments are being delayed because of labour shortage,” said Suraj Agarwal, CEO of Tirupati Agri Trade.

“Availability of containers at the Kolkata port has improved a bit, but it is yet to become fully normal. Also, due to cyclone Amphan, which had badly hit Kolkata, the sheds of clearing and forwarding agents where the goods are stored have been damaged. That too is delaying exports,” he said.

Africa had imported 1.1 million tonnes of rice at an estimated cost of Rs 2,500 crore. They generally buy rice which is priced at Rs 24 -25 per kg.

Vinit Agarwal, owner of RK Exim, said his company is facing both labour shortage and non-availability of containers at Vizag port, through which rice exporters from Jharkhand send their produce to Africa.