India is an upcoming horticulture country. One of the regions where cultivation has taken place since ages, is Goa, a state on the west coast of the country with more than a billion inhabitants. Still, 70% of the greenhouses are empty at the moment. The problem? Knowledge, according to Roy Changoer of Changoer Trading and Export.
Roy has been living in Goa for thirteen years and is exporting frozen products to the Netherlands. The focus at the moment is on jack fruit and cashew apples, for which the season starts in February. He started with frozen fresh cassava, and along the way more vegetables were added, such as snake beans, ochre and red amaranth. "In February, we will make the first step in implementation of GlobalGAP."
Roy used to work as a supermarket owner in the Netherlands. Because the tunnel greenhouses have been empty for quite some time, Roy is now focusing on the Netherlands. As he knows, there is a lot of horticultural knowledge in the Netherlands.
Joint venture
"All ideas are welcome. Maybe it is possible to start a joint venture with Dutch growers. Whether they will be growing for the local market or the international market, is something to be looked at. Anyway, I hope we can bring new life to the horticulture in Goa."
The HAS in Den Bosch has already been contacted. And the Chamber of Commerce in Goa and the Food Processing Committee have already indicated their cooperation.
So: who is interested in a 'tropical' adventure? Sending a mail to changoertrading@gmail.com is already a first step. Roy is happy to explain his plans. You can also call: 0091 9960321088.
Any doubt? Read a report about the trade missions of the Netherlands in India in the fall of 2019. Opportunities abound, particularly with the growing middle class in this enormous country.