Dakshina Kannada Named District Export Hub, Seafood & Cashew Identified for Growth

The designation comes as part of the Government’s broader strategy to promote decentralized trade-led development and strengthen India’s position in global supply chains.

Dakshina Kannada has officially been designated as a District Export Hub (DEH) under the Government of India’s Districts as Export Hubs initiative. With seafood and cashew identified as high-potential export products, the move is expected to provide a significant boost to the region’s export capabilities, industrial growth, and global trade integration.

The designation comes as part of the Government’s broader strategy to promote decentralized trade-led development and strengthen India’s position in global supply chains. Leveraging Dakshina Kannada’s strategic location, existing network of MSMEs, and proximity to New Mangalore Port, the initiative aims to improve product competitiveness, support export diversification, and drive sustainable economic development.

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Strengthening Logistics and Export Competitiveness

To assist exporters in overcoming challenges linked to global logistics disruptions, the Government has introduced a number of targeted interventions under the DEH framework:

✔ District Export Action Plans (DEAPs)

The district-level action plan has identified gaps in warehousing, cold-chain capacity, quality certification, packaging facilities, and last-mile connectivity—all essential for high-value perishable exports like seafood.

✔ Export Promotion Committees (SEPCs & DEPCs)

These committees coordinate among customs, port authorities, MSME bodies, logistics providers, and district administration to fast-track policy and infrastructure improvements.

✔ Infrastructure and Supply Chain Strengthening

Key focus areas include improved first-mile connectivity to New Mangalore Port, upgraded road networks, consolidation hubs, cold storage facilities, and port-linked processing zones.

✔ E-Commerce Export Enablement

Partnerships with platforms including Shiprocket, Amazon Global Selling, and DHL enable MSMEs to ship smaller consignments and access global markets without high freight dependencies.

✔ Dak Ghar Niryat Kendras (DNKs)

Postal export hubs support documentation, packaging, and last-mile dispatch, giving smaller businesses and rural exporters a simplified international trade platform.

✔ Capacity-Building Initiatives

DGFT regional offices and district authorities regularly conduct exporter workshops on compliance, logistics strategy, packaging standards, and product certification.

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Monitoring and Institutional Support

A dedicated District Export Promotion Committee (DEPC) has been formed to operationalize the export roadmap and ensure coordination between central agencies, state departments, exporters, and logistics providers. Export performance and product competitiveness are being tracked to ensure timely interventions and policy alignment.

The DEH initiative aims not only to enhance export volumes but also to retain more value addition locally, reducing dependency on external intermediaries and improving income-generation opportunities, especially for coastal clusters, cashew processors, and seafood exporters.

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Government Statement

Minister of State for Commerce & Industry, Shri Jitin Prasada, informed the Lok Sabha that the initiative is part of a structured national effort to strengthen export ecosystems at the grassroots level, promote local manufacturing, and integrate districts into global markets.