TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
BELGAUM: Responding to Mormugao Port Trust’s (MPT) plans to diversify into a multi commodity port, the district administration in Belgaum has expressed interest in utilizing facilities offered by MPT.
This fact can be ascertained as Belgaum Deputy Commissioner N Jayaram readily agreed to the proposal sent by MPT Chairman P Mara Pandiyan.
In his letter, Pandiyan had urged Belgaum district administration to call for a ‘result fetching meeting to boost trade’ involving exporters, traders and stakeholders in Belgaum district.
Accordingly, a meeting has been called in Belgaum in the last week of July and the date is expected to be announced soon.
“Majority of the exporters in Karnataka are now utilizing the upgraded port facilities effectually and reaping the benefits. The objective of our discussion is to drive a point that opportunities and benefits should go to the traders and farmers of Belgaum too,” stated Pandiyan in his letter to N Jayaram.
Pandiyan, who has been optimistic and enthusiastic about his dream of bringing in a turnaround in the MPT, has also assured full cooperation and said along with his team he will be present for the meeting.
Assured of the industrial and agricultural growth of Belgaum by way of exports through MPT, Jayaram too has expressed enthusiasm in the MPT proposal. As Belgaum is a major producer of vegetables and other agricultural produce, the district administration is also taking this opportunity to promote economy of the district utilizing facilities at MPT.
“Certainly, this was an unexplored opportunity all these years. I have received a letter from the MPT chairman requesting to organize the meeting,” Jayaram told Herald.
“The meeting will be organized in the last week of July. Apart from looking forward to export opportunity for industrial goods and other commodities, our focus will be to promote export of processed excessive agricultural yield.”
“Potato, cauliflower and other vegetable farmers, who normally do not get proper rate for their yield, can benefit as their excess produce could be now processed and exported,” he added.
