Exports from Cochin and Calicut airports fell sharply March–May, hitting perishable goods routed through Dubai. Alternative logistics and infrastructure investment needed to insulate from geopolitical risk.
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Air cargo exports from Kerala's two main international airports fell sharply in March–May 2026 as the West Asian conflict disrupted transshipment routes and raised costs, according to a report from the Kerala Exporters Forum.
Cargo volumes from Cochin International Airport (CIAL) declined 36.41% in March, 31.54% in April and 32.84% in May compared with the same months a year earlier. Calicut International Airport saw an even steeper drop – exports there fell 53.35% in March, 55.73% in April and 56.63% in May. Statewide air cargo exports also shrank: from 13,580 TEUs in March 2025 to 11,238 TEUs in March 2026, and from 11,866 TEUs to 8,622 TEUs over the same April period.
The crisis hit perishable goods hardest. Munshid Ali, secretary of the Kerala Exporters Forum, said a substantial share of the state's seafood and fresh produce is routed through Gulf countries, especially Dubai, which serves as a major transshipment and distribution hub. The escalation of the conflict has raised uncertainty over the safety of key maritime routes – the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea – leading to higher freight charges, increased insurance premiums, longer transit times and greater supply chain disruption, he said.
The pattern exposes a concentrated risk. Kerala's export logistics depend heavily on a single transit region, leaving little buffer when geopolitical friction spikes. Calicut's limited cargo handling capacity made the drop worse there; CIAL, which operates wide-body aircraft for larger consignments, absorbed the shock better but still saw double-digit declines.
Ali said the state needs to strengthen alternative logistics networks, expand direct international cargo connectivity and improve airport infrastructure to reduce reliance on any one transit corridor. Without those investments, future geopolitical shocks will hit the same way – fast, hard and concentrated on perishable goods that cannot wait for routes to reopen.
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