Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): With the West Asia conflict prolonging and no immediate signs of resolution, a crisis is deepening across the industrial sector. Industries, already battered by disruptions and shortages in raw material supply, are now grappling with rising shipment delays that are affecting business operations.
Industrialist Alka Agrawal, who runs a food processing unit and exports products to Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and other countries, said the ongoing crisis has severely affected shipments. “Earlier, exports used to reach destinations within 20 to 30 days, but now deliveries are taking nearly 60 days,” she said, adding that many exporters are now hesitant to dispatch orders due to uncertainty over shipping schedules and rising costs.
An official associated with the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) in Delhi told Free Press that most shipping companies operating in the sector are foreign firms and freight charges have increased nearly threefold. “Shipment delays have increased significantly, worsening the problems faced by exporters. Exports of rice and cotton to Gulf countries and Bangladesh have been badly affected,” the official said.
Mandideep-based industrialist Rajiv Agrawal said transportation through sea routes is now taking 15 to 20 days longer. “Due to the ongoing Iran-America conflict and disruption around the Strait of Hormuz, shipping routes have been diverted, affecting delivery schedules,” he said.
Industrialists are also struggling with shortages of commercial gas cylinders. One industrialist, requesting anonymity, said some factories are purchasing cylinders in the black market to run community kitchens for labourers after the government capped commercial gas supply at 5 per cent.
Govindpura Industries Association president Vijay Gaur said the industrial crisis remains unchanged and uncertainty continues to impact businesses. Industrialists are putting international orders, especially from the UAE, on hold due to shortage of raw materials and uncertainty in supplies, said Gaur. Prices of metals like copper and aluminium have also increased sharply, he added.
