Shipping chaos during Ramzan-Easter peak demand hits Indian exporters
Indian fruit and veggie exporters are having a rough time right now, with shipping chaos during Ramzan and Easter peak demand.
Tensions in West Asia have led to port closures, flight delays, and ships taking the long way around Africa—so deliveries that usually take 20 days are now taking up to 45.
Over 2,300 containers are stranded at major Indian ports
Over 2,300 containers are stranded at major Indian ports like JNPT and Mundra.
That's a lot of grapes, onions, frozen food—and Kerala exporters handle about 75 tons daily (rising to over 90 tons during Ramadan and other peak seasons), with an instance of nearly 30 tons perishing when flights were canceled.
Freight prices have shot up
Freight prices have shot up—sending goods to Saudi Arabia now costs $2,600 per container (plus extra fees), and air cargo for Europe is up by 30-40%.
With these delays and costs piling on, some exporters are being told to reroute shipments or even recall them.
West Asia is a big deal for India's onion and basmati rice exports—so this mess really stings for farmers and businesses back home.