Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Aug 3: The union government has declared Dakshina Kannada (DK) district an ‘Export Hub’ under its Districts as Export Hubs (DEH) initiative. Marine products and cashew have been identified as the district’s potential export commodities.
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada announced the development, while NABARD official Sangeetha Kartha said that supporting arrangements for the initiative would be put in place during the coming financial year.
The declaration is expected to boost the district’s export sector and aligns with the Centre’s efforts to promote balanced and sustainable economic growth across the country. It is also expected to open new avenues for innovation in the marine products and cashew industries, enhance value addition, expand market opportunities for local enterprises, encourage their participation in global trade, and support the district’s long-term development.
Under the DEH initiative, the government will undertake several measures to improve logistics efficiency and reduce international supply-chain bottlenecks and uncertainties in freight movement. District-specific export constraints relating to logistics, connectivity and warehousing will be identified and addressed through a structured approach.
A District Export Action Plan (DEAP) will be prepared for Dakshina Kannada, focusing on improved connectivity to the New Mangalore Port, expansion of warehousing and allied facilities, and the creation of infrastructure to support the identified export products. A District Export Promotion Committee is also being constituted to coordinate among district authorities, exporters, port authorities, customs officials, logistics agencies and the relevant state and central departments.
The government’s initiatives include resolving issues related to connectivity, warehousing, packaging and testing through the DEAP; coordination among state and district export promotion committees, district officials, customs authorities, logistics providers, MSMEs and industry associations to address logistics challenges; partnerships with Amazon, Shiprocket and DHL to provide MSMEs with cost-effective courier and small-consignment shipping options; expansion of postal export facilities for documentation, packaging and parcel dispatch, along with alternative routing arrangements during logistics disruptions; and awareness programmes by the regional offices of the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and district administrations on logistics planning, export procedures, packaging standards and compliance requirements.
“Under the central government’s DEH initiative, Dakshina Kannada has been declared an export hub, with marine products and cashew identified as potential export commodities. In this regard, coordination among exporters, port authorities, customs, logistics agencies and the concerned state and central departments is essential. The export sector should receive greater support in the coming days,” said Narwade Vinayak Karbhari, CEO of the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat.