Chandigarh, April 3 -- After a cargo vessel carrying basmati was on Wednesday hit by an Iranian drone in the Arabian sea near Dubai, the Punjab Rice Millers Exporters Association has sought the central government's intervention so as to take steps to avoid such incidents amid the conflict between US-Israel and Iran.

As per the reports trickling in, 400 basmati containers were damaged which were booked by a Saudi buyer, who alone imports 1.5 lakh tonnes of premium grain annually from India. "The exact damage could not be ascertained, but the exporters are concerned," said Ashok Sethi, director of the association.

India exports basmati worth Rs.50,000 crore to North America, Europe and Gulf nations, out of which Punjab contributes 40% of ...