Gulf Airspace Turmoil Stalls Kerala's Vegetable Lifeline, ₹300 Cr Trade Hit

• West Asia conflict-induced flight cancellations have disrupted Kerala's fresh vegetable exports to Gulf nations.
• This supply chain, crucial for 2.3 million Keralite expatriates, traditionally uses passenger aircraft for cargo like curry leaves and pineapples.
• Exporters from Calicut International Airport (Karipur) are severely impacted, especially during Ramzan, a peak export period.
• The annual trade, valued at over ₹300 crore, supports thousands of jobs; 30 tonnes of produce spoiled recently.
• Escalating Israel-Iran tensions caused airspace restrictions, leading to rerouted flights and unviable freight costs.