Business

Freight Rates Surge 4x, Exporters Rush to Government for Help

Published: 14 August 2026 · 1 min read

What Happened

Indian exporters have sought urgent government intervention as vessel shortages and shipping disruptions have pushed freight rates on US and Europe routes to 3-4 times their earlier levels. The issue is affecting horticulture exporters and several other sectors.

Key Takeaways

Rising freight costs and vessel shortages are emerging as a major threat to India's export competitiveness, especially for time-sensitive products headed to Western markets.

Sources

CNBC TV18