PANAJI
As part of its ongoing outreach initiatives, the GCCI Agriculture Committee led a high-level delegation today to the Cargo Facility at Manohar International Airport, Mopa, to explore avenues for enabling large-scale mango exports from Goa and the neighboring regions of Karnataka.
The delegation comprised Chairman Mahesh Patil, Committee Members Pandurang Patil and Dr Suresh Kunkalikar, and GCCI Deputy Director Ambika Dhakhenkar.
GCCI has consistently championed trade and export promotion in Goa and played a pivotal role since the 1990s in advocating for the establishment of a second airport at mopa, with a full-fledged air cargo facility in the state.
A team from Mavu Belegarar Balaga, Dharwad (Mango Growers Group)—led by Executive Member Dr Rajendra Poddar and President Subhas Akalwadi—visited Goa to explore the feasibility of exporting mangoes through Mopa Airport. The group expressed keen interest in tapping international markets such as Singapore, the Middle East, Europe, and other destinations.
Last year, the growers made their first export shipment through Chintamani, located 8.5 hours from Dharwad. With Mopa Airport only 4 hours away, they anticipate a significant reduction in transit-related damage and logistical costs.
They shared insights on the enormous potential of their region, noting that 60,000 acres of land are under mango cultivation, with nearly half situated in the Dharwad belt. Their presentation showcased the remarkable work undertaken to mobilize small farmers, provide training, and establish backward linkages with support from local administration and elected representatives.
A major achievement highlighted was the establishment of an APEDA-approved packhouse in the region through central government schemes, which will play a crucial role in ensuring safe storage and efficient handling of perishable produce.
Presentation by Mopa Airport Cargo Team
Purushottam Thakur, Cargo Logistics Head at GMR Mopa, delivered an extensive presentation on the airport’s state-of-the-art facilities designed to support export operations, especially for perishables.
He also conducted a guided tour of the cargo terminal and shared updates on upcoming infrastructure, including a fully integrated, multi-commodity APEDA-approved packhouse spread across 5,600 sq. m., with a throughput capacity of 100 tonnes/day, scheduled to be operational by April 2026.
The packhouse—being established with support from the Department of Agriculture, Government of Goa, and APEDA—will significantly enhance export capabilities, not only for Goa but also for Karnataka and Maharashtra. It will also allow farmers to store unsold produce and channel it to domestic markets through 29 destinations across India connected via GOX, thus mitigating risks related to international consignment rejections.
He further announced that Tier II warehousing, an in-house Customs office, and a Plant Quarantine facility will also be operational at the cargo terminal. Additionally, once the packhouse becomes functional, exporters will be able to utilize seaport routes via Mormugao Port and ICD Balli, enabling multi-modal logistics movements.
The Dharwad Mango Growers Group extended an invitation to the GMR team to present these opportunities to growers in their region. Thakur assured full cooperation and highlighted the possibility of facilitating daily truckloads of mango exports, along with exploring exports of other high-value crops such as Bijapur lemons, pomegranates, guavas, and more.
Today’s initiative underscored that every progressive Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) or grower group has the potential to become an exporter—an opportunity aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of doubling farmers’ income.
GCCI expressed deep gratitude to GMR’s cargo team, particularly Purushottam Thakur, for their support and to the Dharwad Mango Growers Group for envisioning Goa as a gateway to global markets.
For decades, Goa’s economy has relied on mining and tourism. GCCI’s Agriculture Committee is now driving the message that Goa is well-positioned to evolve into the Logistics Hub of Western India focussed on Agri-Exports, supported by expanding national highway connectivity, the growing capabilities of Mormugao Port, and the world-class cargo infrastructure at Mopa Airport.
