The creation of an air cargo logistics hub at the Manohar International Airport has kick-started the export of mangoes from the Konkan region.
The season’s first shipment, containing 3,368kg of Alphonso mangoes, was sent to Sharjah on an Air Arabia flight. A total of 600 tonnes of mangoes are expected to be exported to Europe and the UAE in the coming months, said GMR Goa International Airport Limited (GGIAL) officials.
The mango consignment was shipped by ShivKonkan Farmer Producer Company Ltd and Shreevali Agro and originated from Sindhudurg district in Maharashtra—part of the famed Alphonso belt that includes Ratnagiri and Devgad. These mangoes have high demand in international markets for their taste and aroma, said a GMR Goa Air Cargo official.
The GGIAL has set up a dedicated packhouse near the airport terminal to clean, sort and prepare farm produce for export. Last year, the cargo hub handled 140 metric tonnes of mango shipments exported to Europe and other parts of the world, including a small quantity of mangoes to Muscat, Oman. The airport has also been exporting lady fingers, bottle gourd and guavas.
“By enabling direct air exports, we’re not just reducing transit times, but also ensuring that the perishable cargo reaches global markets in peak condition,” said the official.
The airport’s cargo hub is emerging as a key player in handling temperature-sensitive produce, opening up new business opportunities for local farmers and exporters. The success of this shipment is expected to bolster the region’s agri-export potential and provide a boost to the rural economy across the Konkan belt.