On the occasion of World MSME Day World Trade Center Goa
organized a seminar with the aim of understanding Goa’s potential of becoming
an export hub and at the same time to understand the opportunities that are
available for MSMEs to reach their highest potential.
The seminar organized on 27th June 2022, at
Panaji, focussed on finance and the other elements like logistics, warehousing
etc…that could help the Goan MSMEs in reaching their highest potential. The
seminar also pondered on the steps that the state of Goa needs to take in order
to becoming a true export hub.
While speaking on the warehousing sector, Mr. John Rodrigues,
Chief Operating officer, Machado & Sons Agents & Stevedores Pvt. Ltd,
spoke on the evolution of the Warehousing sector in Goa. He pointed out that
although the warehousing services have come a long way, they still face many
challenges, like, the Warehousing business is bracketed in the same group as
Real Estate hence the Banks do not lend them loans at a concessional rate. He
strongly recommended that if the warehousing services are to be made truly
viable for the MSMEs then an “Industry Status” needs to be given to the
warehousing sector, this move will get more benefits for the sector and also
enable them to be more competitive in the pricing of their services to the
MSMEs.
Mr. Prasad Navelkar, who is a business professional
associated with Casfer Technologies, while speaking on the subject of Logistics
services, pointed out MSMEs in order to have a good logistical experience for
their cargo need to take a special care of basics like Documentation,
Packaging, Terms of Trade and Payment terms. He also propagated that if there
could be a common place for the consolidation of a particular product then its
export potential could be better calculated.
The containerised cargo transport in Goa has taken a big hit
as the feeder vessel that facilitated cargo movement from Goa to various ports
especially JNPT in Mumbai has been discontinued said Mr. Mario Furtado,
Proprietor of Furtado Custom House Agents based in Goa. He said this while
speaking on the way forward for MSMEs to have a good supply chain from Goa. Mr.
Furtado said that there are about 2460 MSME units spread across 23 Industrial
Estates in Goa and he looked forward to the starting of EXIM Services in Goa so
that mother vessels could call on the Marmugao Port and help the MSMEs with
better containerised transport system. He opined that a dedicated berth at
Murmago Port needs to be developed in order to exclusively service the
Containerised traffic.
Mr Atul Anand, Chief Manager, State Bank of India, spoke on
the various schemes that his esteemed bank is offering to the MSMEs. He spoke
on the Export Packing Credit, Bills abroad Re-discounting scheme, Pre-shipment
Credit in Foreign currency scheme, Warehouse receipt Finance scheme and SBI
Asset backed loans scheme among other schemes, which he said would help the
MSMEs especially in the arena of boosting their exports.
A very interactive Q & A session was also organized in
which Mr. Agnelo Menezes, Proprietor of Menezes Enterprises, made a passionate
plea to the Government of India to kindly consider to extend the tenure of the
Moratorium Scheme as many of the MSMEs are still reeling from the negative
aftereffects of unforeseen second wave of COVID-19.
Mr Cyril Desouza, Assistant Director- Trade Promotion in his
address said that bottle necks in the transportation sector experienced at
Panzorconnoi Village and ICD Bali, the incomplete portion of four lane highway
between Margao and Navelim as well as the incomplete bridge that connects the
newly built Baina Flyover to the Marmugao Port need to be resolves at the
earliest to have a seamless containerised transportation system in Place for
the MSME Exports from Goa.
Seen in the Picture (L-R) Mr Cyril Desouza, Mr Prasad Navelkar, Mr Mario Furtado Mr Atul Anand and Mr John Rodrigues
