Geopolitical gridlock leaves Kerala’s Gulf-bound agri exports stranded

The West Asian crisis has severely impacted air cargo exports from Kerala, causing steep shipment declines at Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) and Calicut International Airport. Because the Gulf region serves as Kerala’s primary export market and transit hub, widespread flight cancellations and airspace safety risks have disrupted critical supply links. Perishable goods—such as fresh fruits, vegetables and fish products, which typically make up 60% of CIAL’s daily cargo—have borne the brunt of the crisis. Data shows cargo volumes at CIAL plummeted from a pre-conflict average of 150 tonnes per day down to just 60 tonnes. Calicut Airport suffered a similarly drastic hit, with its March-to-May agricultural shipments collapsing to less than half of the previous year’s baseline (e.g., March volumes dropped from 2,900 metric tonnes down to 1,353 metric tonnes). This sudden bottleneck has left local pineapple and vegetable farmers stranded mid-peak season, forcing them to offload perishable inventory into a depressed domestic market, said a report.