Trouble for toy sector? Trump's tariffs hit US orders by 50%; here’s how Indian exporters are fighting the impact

Toy exporters, who began the financial year with strong dispatches due to early festive shipments and advance buying from US customers, are now having to cut prices and change packaging to cope with the slowdown. The slump comes after American buyers shifted to other sourcing markets following the United States’ decision to impose a 50% tariff on Indian toys. Amitabh Kharbanda, governing body member of the Toy Association of India, said the usual cycle has been disrupted. “Toy orders from the US for the next festive season, which we usually receive by October-November, are down by 50% this year as customers are shifting to China or other countries,” he told ET. Most festive, carnival and entertainment articles are shipped between April and August for the US holiday season. Ex