Wagh Bakri Warns 45-Day Hormuz Delays Will Cut West Asia Tea Exports

2 articles · Updated · BusinessLine · May 22

Wagh Bakri said its West Asia tea exports are set to fall sharply this year after Strait of Hormuz disruptions left shipments delayed by more than 40-45 days.
Nearly 60,000 kg bound for Dubai has been stranded at various ports since the conflict escalated in March-April 2026, while cargo already at sea has remained stuck for 45-60 days.
Regional sales have already dropped 10-15% as hotel closures and a shrinking visitor and resident base weakened demand, even as the company kept receiving orders and absorbed higher logistics costs.
Wagh Bakri ships about 275,000 kg a year to markets including the UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, part of an Indian tea export trade that sends roughly 275 million kg abroad annually.
The company said the export hit is landing alongside climate-driven production volatility, with some months contributing just 6% of annual output instead of the usual 10-12% and others surging to 16%.

Could the West Asia conflict force a long-overdue modernization of India's traditional tea industry?

Is the Indian tea crisis a canary in the coal mine for global supply chains facing geopolitical risks?