Karan Sehgal
PANAJI
The Logistics Committee of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has written a letter to Ananth Kumar, Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers of the Central Government urging him to issue guidelines to pharmaceutical industry in the State to use facilities like Dabolim Airport and Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) for exports and imports.
Goa has been home to a number of manufacturing plants of several national and international pharma companies for decades now. However, most of them don't use either Dabolim Airport or MPT for exports/imports citing one reason or the other.
Sources have earlier informed that this is because the head offices of these pharma companies are in bigger cities like Mumbai, Hyderadbad and Delhi and they prefer to export even products being manufactured in Goa from other ports like Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) near Mumbai.
In a letter to Ananth Kumar, Chandrakant Gawas, Chairman, GCCI's logistics committee, wrote, "The pharmaceutical industries of Goa is one of the major contributors to the State's economy and subscribe to 10% of India's overall export of pharmaceutical products."
Gawas further wrote, "There is hardly noticeable exports happening from Goa. The main reason is the apathy of the pharmaceuticals companies in utilizing the facilities available at Goa airport and the seaport. The industries in total imports approximately 1,500 metric tons of raw materials and exports 1,000 metric tons of medicinal products per month utilizing the facilities of the airports / seaports of neighbouring states."
This is when both Dabolim Airport and MPT have necessary infrastructure for the export of pharma products. For instance, there is an ‘Office of Drug Controller for Certification' at MPT, which is mandatory for pharma exports.
Moreover, at least one container vessel calls at MPT every week, which can be utilised for pharma exports. MPT's officials have always maintained that the frequency of vessels at the port can be increased if pharma companies commit a certain volume of exports every week.
In fact, a plug-in facility was created at Dabolim Airport in 2016 so that containers with temperature sensitive pharma cargo can be plugged in, but very few pharma companies chose to use this facility.
There are certain shortcomings with infrastructure for exports/imports in Goa, as Gawas's letter noted that there is restriction on landing of wide body cargo aircraft at Dabolim Airport. But, the fact is that pharma companies are not using infra which is there. And, therefore, government doesn't think it is wise to invest in expansion of facilities.
Gawas said, "Yes, we have written a letter to the Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and urged him to speak to pharma companies to use Goa's facilities to export."
GCCI LETTER: KEY POINTS
Goa pharma industry a major contributor to State's economy; subscribes to 10% of India's overall export of pharma products
Hardly noticeable exports happening from Goa.
Key reason is apathy of pharma companies in utilising facilities at Goa airport and seaport
Imports total 1,500 metric tonnes of raw materials; exports 1,000 metric tons per month
Most industries use facilities of airports/seaports of neighbouring States
GOA CALLING
Both Dabolim airport and MPT have necessary infra for export of pharma products
‘Office of Drug Controller for Certification' at MPT
At least one container vessel calls at MPT every week
MPT officials say frequency of vessels can be increased if pharma companies commit a certain volume of exports
Plug-in facility at Dabolim airport where containers with temperature sensitive pharma cargo can be plugged in
