Pharma sector providing life support to Goa’s economy

Apart from the sun, sand and sea, there is business too in Goa. Leading from the front is the pharma sector which has emerged as the single largest industry after the ban on mining and the slowdown in tourism. 

Goa pharmaceutical industry manufactures 11 per cent of the country’s total pharma manufacturing and exports all of them barring 20 per cent which are consumed in the domestic market. This surely explains the strict regulations and standard of quality maintained in Goa which matches the highest global quality standards. 

Currently there are over 7000 small scale industrial units with presence of more than 150 large and medium scale industries employing over 25,000 people directly or indirectly. About 81 pharma manufacturing units in Goa are licensed. 

Besides mining and tourism sectors, the pharmaceutical segment has also established its presence in Goa and received approvals regulated bodies like US FDA, UK MHRA etc. Goa is strategically located with good infrastructure facilities with airport, a seaport, connectivity by road network and other amenities. Also, locally manufactured equipment by ancillary units are being used in these pharma industries.  

Well known Indian pharmaceutical companies like Ranbaxy, Pfizer, Cipla, Cadila, Lupin, Sanofi, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, Unichem Lab, FDC, Indoco Remedies have invested huge funds in setting up their plants in Goa. Further, multinational companies like Wyeth, and Merck also put up their plants. With better infrastructure and logistics facilities with adequate government support, the companies are expanding their operations as they are known world-over for their standards in the world.

Nearly 100 pharma units from Goa participated in the recently held Vibrant Goa Expo and Summit with an installation of seventy stalls. Though the pharma sector in Goa is highly matured and has already established itself in the global market, they participated in the event in such large numbers to ensure that they develop the right contact for their business as the market keeps changing rapidly.

The Goa’s pharmaceutical sector’s major role was as a sponsor to many of the knowledge summits during the Vibrant Goa event as they wanted to facilitate Goa’s business through knowledge summits for networking with over 50 countries which would also give them the idea about business opportunities in India. 

When asked how pharma industry was important for Goa, the Industry and Health Minister of Goa, Vishwajit Rane said, “The pharma industry is one of the main sectors in Goa. We have to look into this sector and how they can expand here in the State. They are doing exports worth Rs 12,000 crore from Goa. They are top priority for us as an industry and I as an industry minister feel that whatever benefits that needs to be extended should be done for the growth of the pharma sector and its ancillary units. In fact I have invited the sector representative to meet and strategise a way forward as clusters are very important and also we need to identify the areas in this sector where we can focus on.”

Rane added that the industry also create employment and eco-system by which it helps the State. “The government should work on this so that we are able to bring in more number of ancillary units. I had a preliminary discussion with the pharma sector and you need to protect what you have already and then move forward. All of us in the government have the same view,” said Rane. 

The President of the Goa Chambers of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), Manoj Caculo also concurred with the views of the Industry and Health minister of Goa.

He said, “Pharma industry has been the mainstay in Goa for a while. Besides being a green industry, it employs substantial numbers. It is very important from Goan perspective as it absorbs a lot of unskilled labour especially in packaging lines. Besides production units, there are a few pharma research and development units here which are very important from Goan perspective.”

President of the Goa Pharmaceuticals Manufacturers’ Association (GPMA), Dr Praveen Khullar said, “Goa has good space with expansion possibilities and infrastructure which includes good transportation, less traffic and also has a good living standard. As far as government is concerned, being a small state one has a good approach to them and they are very pro-active and take less time for clearances which shows there is an ease of doing business in the State.”

Dr Khullar further said, “Goa is a pharma hub and can be leveraged and further strengthened for an export market. Pharmaceutical industry in Goa has world class quality standard and is accreditated from the highest regulatory bodies across the world. We never had any setbacks in Goa with good government backing.” GPMA in the state has little over 30 members and most of them are the blue-chip companies in the pharma manufacturing sector. 

President of the Chemist and Druggist Association of Goa, Albert De Sa said, “Pharmaceutical industry which is a non-polluting industry in Goa is very important to us. This could be in terms of revenue generation, exports and employment as we have two pharmacy colleges in our small state of Goa and many of them get employed in this sector.”