• Only 2% of cargoes shipped, destined primarily for Somalia
• West Africa anchors demand; Bangladesh trade stays limited

India’s non-basmati rice export pipeline remains largely backloaded, with a significant portion of cargoes yet to be shipped. Of the total 660,550 tonnes (t) tracked, nearly 83% is currently at anchorage, indicating a heavy concentration of volumes awaiting clearance and vessel movement.

The high anchorage levels are mainly due to port congestion, vessel bunching, and structured bulk shipments, while elevated freight costs due to geopolitical tensions act as a secondary pressure point rather than the primary cause.

Only 1.7% of cargoes have been shipped so far, primarily destined for Somalia, reflecting a relatively slow pace of execution in the current cycle. Meanwhile, around 14% of volumes are in the expected stage, suggesting a steady forward pipeline that could support shipments in the coming weeks. Geographically, West Africa continues to dominate demand, with countries such as Benin, Guinea, Senegal, Togo, Sierra Leone, and Ivory Coast accounting for the bulk of anchorage volumes. This reaffirms the region’s dependence on Indian rice and its role as the primary export destination.

In contrast, Bangladesh-bound shipments remain limited, with only a small portion currently at berth, highlighting more opportunistic or short-term trade flows in the nearby market.

Overall, the current shipment distribution signals strong underlying demand but delayed execution, with a large volume of cargoes still in the pipeline. Any improvement in vessel movement or port clearances could lead to a sharp pick-up in export flows in the near term, particularly towards African markets.

Published Date: March 23, 2026