Amid the ongoing conflict involving Israel, the United States and Iran, efforts are underway to resolve disruptions in India’s agricultural exports to West Asia. However, relief for exporters remains limited at present.
According to sources, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is prioritising the movement of highly perishable commodities such as fruits and vegetables. In coordination with UAE-based logistics company DP World, plans are being worked out to reroute consignments currently stuck in India to markets in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
As part of the initial strategy, authorities are focusing on facilitating egg exports from Namakkal, one of India’s largest egg production hubs. Under the proposed arrangement, exporters are exploring the option of routing shipments through the Khorfakkan port in the UAE. From there, the consignments would be transported by road to Jebel Ali and onward to destinations in Saudi Arabia.
In addition, APEDA has initiated discussions with port authorities to reduce demurrage charges on consignments that have already reached ports but remain undelivered due to logistical disruptions. This move is expected to provide some financial relief to exporters affected by delays.
Some exporters have also opted to bring their shipments back from the port and sell them in the domestic market. This process, known as container return, normally takes around five days. However, through coordination with relevant departments, APEDA has helped reduce the turnaround time to approximately two days in several cases.
Sources said that in some instances, ships carrying Indian consignments have reached the UAE but have not been allowed to dock at ports. In one such case, a vessel carrying about 450 containers has reportedly been waiting offshore for more than a week. The Indian government is currently engaged in discussions with UAE authorities to resolve the issue and allow the vessel to unload its cargo.
Apart from eggs and other perishable goods, rice shipments are also facing disruptions. Exporters say shipping companies have imposed emergency conflict surcharges ranging from $2,500 to $4,000 per container, significantly raising transportation costs.
The government is exploring ways to ensure that at least a portion of India’s agricultural exports, estimated at around 30%, continues to reach Gulf markets despite the ongoing crisis. However, these arrangements are still under negotiation, and shipments through the proposed alternative routes have not yet begun.
Big Shipment of Eggs in the sea
Nearly 3.5 crore eggs exported from Namakkal, India’s largest egg production hub, have remained stranded for over 10 days after a vessel carrying about 70 containers failed to reach ports in the Middle East due to the conflict. Each container reportedly carries close to five lakh eggs that were shipped on February 28.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) is in talks with shipping operators and port authorities in Dubai to facilitate the safe movement of the consignments.
Exporters estimate that nearly six crore eggs shipped from India have yet to reach their destination markets. While some containers remain anchored at sea, others are currently stranded at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Mumbai.
Poultry farmers warn that if the consignments are forced to return to Namakkal, it could disrupt the domestic market, which is already facing weak demand and excess supply. Export eggs transported through cold-chain systems also carry printed manufacturing and expiry dates, making prolonged storage difficult.
India’s egg and live bird exports have expanded rapidly in recent years. According to APEDA data, exports rose from $6.30 crore in 2022-23 to $11.35 crore in 2023-24, before easing slightly to $9.69 crore in 2024-25. The Middle East dominates this trade, with Oman accounting for 46.66% of exports, followed by the United Arab Emirates (20.09%), Maldives (17.82%), Qatar (6.08%), and Bahrain (1.66%).
Mango Farmers looking for alternatives
The uncertainty in West Asia is also affecting fruit exporters. Mango growers in Karnataka, who traditionally depend heavily on Gulf markets, are now exploring alternative destinations as the new harvesting season approaches.
Growers from districts such as Dharwad and Belagavi typically export mangoes to countries including Abu Dhabi, Iran, Kuwait and the UAE. However, exporters say traders who normally book orchards months in advance have yet to confirm purchases this year.
India’s fresh mango exports have remained strong, reaching $4.85 crore in 2022-23, rising to $6.01 crore in 2023-24, and moderating to $5.65 crore in 2024-25, according to APEDA.
The United Arab Emirates remains the largest market with 35.01% share, followed by the United States (20.39%), United Kingdom (16.06%), Kuwait (5.23%), and Qatar (4.21%).
With uncertainty in the Gulf region, growers’ associations are attempting to diversify exports to markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore. Exporters say the globally popular Alphonso variety remains the most sought-after in international markets.