Over 200 fresh produce containers for Dubai stranded at Mumbai’s JNPT

Nashik: More than 200 containers of onions, grapes and bananas headed for Dubai have been stuck at Mumbai's Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) for the past two days, after the US/Israel-Iran conflict severely disrupted shipping operations. Exporters warned that losses were mounting as cargo continued to accumulate at port terminals and private container depots.The Horticulture Produce Exporters Association (HPEA) said around 40 refrigerated containers were stranded inside JNPT, while nearly 160 more were stuck at private yards nearby. Several consignments already dispatched toward Dubai were also reportedly waiting in holding zones as vessel schedules remained uncertain.HPEA office-bearers held telephonic discussions with APEDA officials on Monday, seeking urgent intervention to avert heavy financial losses. APEDA has told exporters to furnish detailed lists of stranded cargo and daily cost escalations.According to Vikas Singh, vice‑president of HPEA, a large share of India's horticulture exports to Gulf nations passes through Dubai, which served as the region's key trans‑shipment hub. "But the ongoing crisis involving the US/Israel and Iran has thrown shipping schedules off track, leaving most containers stuck at JNPT," he said.Singh said of the 200 affected containers, roughly 70% were filled with onions, 15% with grapes and 12% with bananas, all from Maharashtra. A single container typically carries 27–30 tonnes of onions, around 13 tonnes of grapes or about 18 tonnes of bananas.Exporters are also grappling with rising operational expenses. Containers kept at private yards incur plug‑in charges ranging between Rs 3,500 and Rs 5,000 per day for refrigeration. Additional inspection procedures push the daily expense to nearly Rs 7,000-8,000 per container. "There are no plug‑in charges inside JNPT, but the shortage of space means most containers are stranded outside," Singh said.If the geopolitical situation does not improve soon, exporters fear greater losses as shipping lines may return containers after several days, compromising the shelf life of highly perishable produce.