Punjabi diaspora in UK rallies behind flood-hit Punjab

A British food company that distributes almost half of the UK’s branded dry rice has launched an emergency campaign to support families devastated by the worst floods in decades across Punjab.

Essex-based Surya Foods, best known for its flagship Laila Basmati brand, has partnered with the charity World Food Aid (WFA) to deliver urgent supplies to villages under water. The company has also warned of looming shortages of basmati rice in the UK as a result of the disaster.

Founded in the 1970s by Kewal Dulai, who emigrated from Punjab, Surya Foods grew from a small family import business into one of Britain’s largest food distributors. Today, three generations of the Dulai family remain at the helm, with Harry Dulai as Group CEO.

Kewal still maintains strong ties to Punjab today. He manages sourcing through his company Naranjan Rice Exports Ltd, personally overseeing basmati procurement each harvest season in Punjab markets. Harry Dulai, who now leads the business as Managing Director and CEO, also coordinates closely with the company’s India operations, Flying Trade India Pvt Ltd, and emphasises sustainable farming practices and farmer support via Sustainable Rice Platform, reflecting the family’s continuing ties with Punjab’s agriculture.

“The floods have erased lives and livelihoods overnight. Families have nothing left,” said Harry Dulai. “We’re distributing the first 1,500 relief parcels — rice, flour, oil, lentils — enough to feed a family of five for a week. For just GBP 12, about Rs 1,250, the price of a simple meal out, donors can help restore lives, not just meals. It’s not just food for today, it’s the strength to rebuild homes, farms, and futures.”

The floods have destroyed over 2.5 lakh acres of farmland in Punjab, threatening livelihoods in a region long known as the breadbasket of South Asia. With India supplying the bulk of the world’s basmati exports, experts warn output could fall by as much as 25 per cent this year, tightening supply and pushing up prices.

“Punjab’s recovery is essential not just for local communities but for global food stability,” Dulai said.

From its base in the small British port town of Harwich, Essex, Surya remains close to the Dulai family’s Punjabi roots. For the family, the floods are not just a supply chain crisis but a personal tragedy. “Punjab has given so much to us and to the world,” Dulai said. “Now, when it is hurting, we must stand by it.”

Surya Foods is not alone. Across Britain, Punjabi-led charities and NRI groups are stepping up their response.

Khalsa Aid, founded by Ravi Singh from Hoshiarpur and now a global name in humanitarian work, has been active in districts including Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Ferozepur and Abohar, distributing food, water and animal feed.

United Sikhs UK, a UN-affiliated humanitarian group, has launched a major fundraising drive to supply fodder, medicines and rehabilitation support, even pledging to adopt whole villages for long-term recovery.

The Punjab Kings, the IPL cricket team, working with Global Sikh Charity and the crowdfunding platform Ketto, has launched a UK-backed campaign to raise money for families forced from their homes. NRI groups from the UK, France and Austria have pledged livestock aid for dairy farmers in Fazilka and Ferozepur, including buffaloes and cattle to restore rural livelihoods.

This wider network of relief underlines the global Punjabi community’s commitment to stand by those affected. From family businesses like Surya Foods to international charities, the response reflects a single message: Punjab will not face this crisis alone.