Jaigad Port on the Konkan coast of Maharashtra, India, has been opened as an export route for Alphonso mangoes and cashew. The port provides an alternative shipping point for regional agricultural exporters that previously relied on Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA).
A plant quarantine office and a NABL-accredited FSSAI laboratory have been established at the port to support on-site inspection and testing of agricultural shipments. The initiative involves the Maharashtra Maritime Board, the state's MITRA agency, and commodity bodies, including the Cashew Board. The development follows earlier efforts by APEDA and the state government to promote JSW Jaigarh as an agricultural export hub.
Exporters in the Konkan region previously transported containers about 500 km to JNPA, which added about ₹60,000 per container (US$720) and extended transit time by around two days. Using Jaigad as a loading port is expected to reduce logistics costs for mango and cashew shipments by about 10 to 15%.
Farmers and exporters in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts, along with inland regions such as Kolhapur, Satara, Sangli, and Solapur, now have access to a nearby export gateway with warehousing and cold chain infrastructure.
The port may also serve cargo flows from other producing regions. These include Goa for cashew, coconut, and marine products, as well as coastal and northern Karnataka for cashew, spices, and fruit. Cargo from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including mango pulp, chillies, seafood, and processed foods, may also move through the port for shipments to Gulf and African markets.
The new export route is expected to support investments in grading, packing, processing, traceability, and logistics systems linked to Jaigad Port.
Authorities also view the port as a potential export point for produce from the region, including GI-tagged Ratnagiri Alphonso mangoes and Konkan cashew products.
Source: Maritime Gateway
