The shipping ministry held a meeting with agricultural item exporters to resolve the issue of consignments for Gulf countries being stuck at Mumbai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPT).
Sources said that exporters urged that consignments be allowed to remain at JNPT longer before being shifted out without penalty by the port authority.
The consigments are mainly bananas, grapes, pomegranates and onions.
A senior official said talks are underway with DP World, the region’s leading logistics company, to facilitate shipments.
Logistical Bottlenecks
“We are in talks with DP World for allowing shipments to Gulf countries as large containers are stuck at JNPT because of a lack of clarity on marine movement,” an official said.
A major chunk of the country’s horticulture exports to Gulf countries passes through Dubai, which also serves as the region’s key trans-shipment hub.
Several consignments to Dubai were also reportedly waiting in holding zones because vessel schedules remained unclear. An estimated 800 containers with agricultural goods remain stranded at Dubai’s Jebel Ali port.
The disruptions are caused by the ongoing US-Iran conflict, which has halted port operations.
Discussions are also underway to shift some of the stock at JNPT to private warehouses for domestic supplies.
Exporters have demanded that the government provide financial assistance and waive port charges and demurrage fees for the stranded containers. They noted that demand for fruit and vegetable exports usually rises sharply during Ramadan.
Exporters’ Plea
“We are closely monitoring the escalating situation in the Middle East, which continues to impact global agricultural trade dynamics,” Akshay Gupta, business head for bulk exports at KRBL, which ships basmati rice to over 90 countries under the ‘India Gate’ brand, told FE.
Gupta said India exports 70% of its basmati rice to the Middle East and Persian Gulf. Trade sources said that 40% of fruits, including bananas are shipped to Middle Eastern countries.