Weak rupee hits UAE-Kerala couriers

Strange as it may sound, a section of Indian expats in the UAE is unhappy with the decline in the value of the Indian rupee.

To be fair, they are actually unhappy with the Indian Customs laws pertaining to setting a rupee limit on the value of goods that can be sent through courier to their homeland, Kerala, from their host country, the UAE.

Residents believe that fixing the value of goods that can be couriered at Rs10,000 per 30kg parcel is limiting.

With the value of the Indian rupee weakening, many residents are complaining that they can no longer send items that fell within the Rs10,000-limit just a few  months ago.

The basic complain is that Rs10,000 is no longer enough to fill the permitted 30kg allowance, and residents are being forced to send packages weighing much less but quoting the same since the minimum 30kg payment remains.

As per the current exchange rate, Rs10,000 works out to approximately Dh582 while a few months ago, it stood at a much better Dh715.

“If you buy two or three items, then the cost will automatically exceed the Rs10,000-limit. The authorities must look into the matter and make changes that are in line with the value of the currency,” a resident said.

As per the Indian customs law, all items in the container must be new with price-tags affixed to prove that.

“Often, people use this service to send food items, clothes or even cosmetics,” said an agent at a courier company in Dubai, who claims the number of courier packages being sent to Kerala have dropped recently.

Companies charge Dh10-11 per kilo to send the 30kg (or more) parcel to Kerala, but with the minimum payment set for at least 30kg.

When Emirates24|7 checked with the agent of a courier company in Abu Dhabi, he claimed that although the amount is restrictive, it has had no impact on his business yet.

“People still send couriers to Kerala, and it’s business as usual for us. We haven’t seen any drop,” he insisted, before adding that the Rs10,000 limit must be revised.

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