Soaring costs and customs duties disrupt the annual exchange of sweets and gifts between Gujarat and the US
Thousands of Gujaratis living in the United States are facing disappointment this festive season as traditional gift parcels and sweet boxes from India remain stuck or delayed due to rising courier tariffs and new customs duties, reported gujaratsamachar.com.
Families who once eagerly exchanged sweets and gifts from Gujarat are now hit by the double blow of steep shipping costs and shipment delays caused by the Trump administration’s new import rules.
In the past six months, tariffs on several Indian goods — including food items — have risen to as much as 50%. Until August 27, shipments worth up to $800 could enter the US duty-free. Now, they are subject to heavy customs charges, with a ₹5,000 sweet box costing an additional ₹2,500 in duties, making such gifts unaffordable for many.
Courier companies and sweet exporters in Gujarat report business losses of 70–80%, with thousands of workers in the state’s traditional sweet-making hubs struggling as exports plummet
The situation worsened after India Post suspended parcel services to the US on August 22, resuming them only on October 15. Even now, new customs inspections have extended delivery times by 8–15 days, and in some cases, parcels remain stuck for months.
One frustrated family shared their ordeal: “We received a sari after our wedding was already over.” Many have now stopped sending large parcels altogether.
Exports from Gujarat to the US have fallen by nearly 70%, causing not just financial setbacks but emotional strain as well. For the first time, many Non-Resident Gujarati (NRG) families in the US are celebrating Diwali without their favorite sweets from home.
