Importers and traders in Bombay establish the Association to protect the trade and guide members.
About the Association
Nearly a century of standing with the trade.
Founded by merchants in Bombay in 1930, MDDMA has grown with the market while holding fast to a simple idea: the trade is stronger when it speaks and acts together.
Our story
Born from cooperation in Bombay's trading heart.
In 1930, importers and traders dealing in dry and wet dates and dry fruits from Muscat, Basra, Iran and Afghanistan gathered in Bombay. They formed an Association to protect trade interests, advise members on government rules and help solve shared problems.
The institution evolved as the city and market changed. It was reconstructed in 1975, renamed under a State Government order in 1998 and moved with the agricultural trade from the historic Masjid Bunder market to APMC Vashi in Navi Mumbai.
Today, MDDMA represents more than 350 member firms. Its work spans representation, regulatory guidance, dispute resolution, market information and the relationships that allow a complex wholesale trade to function with confidence.
Continuity and change
A trusted institution for every new chapter.
From handwritten registers and market meetings to a public website and a dedicated member platform, MDDMA's tools have changed. Its responsibility to the trade has not.
The journey
Milestones across generations.
Each stage reflects a wider shift in Mumbai's trade, geography and institutional needs.
The body is reconstructed as The Bombay Kharek Bazar & Mewa Merchants Association.
It is renamed The Bombay Dry Fruits & Dates Association under a State Government order.
The trade's centre of gravity moves from Masjid Bunder to the APMC market in Navi Mumbai.
MDDMA serves 350+ member firms while opening a new, digitally connected chapter for the trade.
Founder members
The merchants who began the collective.
MDDMA remembers the founding members whose initiative created an enduring institution for the trade.
- 01S. Jagit Singh
- 02Ishwardas Maganlal
- 03Jadavji C. Kothari
- 04Surendra Natwarlal
- 05Jugaldas Damodar Mody
- 06Haji Usman Haji Aziz
- 07Mansukhlal H. Sheth
- 08S. Harnam Singh
- 09Vallabhdas Ramji
- 10Tulsidas Pragji Khandhar
- 11Himatlal H. Khandhar
Purpose in action
Protect the trade. Unite members. Build the future.
Our aim, vision and mission translate a long-standing constitutional purpose into a clear direction for today's Association.
Advance the shared interests of the trade.
Protect members, encourage fair practice and strengthen the economic wellbeing of the dry fruits and dates community.
A structured, trusted and progressive ecosystem.
Be the dependable collective voice that connects merchants, institutions, origin markets and the next generation of trade.
Represent, inform, connect and enable.
Advocate on policy, guide members, resolve eligible disputes, share knowledge and create opportunities for responsible growth.
Why MDDMA
Twelve ways the Association serves the trade.
The work ranges from government representation and compliance guidance to member connections and market development.
Trade advocacy
Representing the shared interests of dry fruits and dates merchants before public authorities and industry bodies.
Government liaison
Maintaining constructive engagement with APMC, FSSAI, Customs and other policy institutions.
Regulatory guidance
Helping members understand notifications, rules and compliance changes that affect everyday trade.
Import policy support
Raising sector concerns relating to customs, imports, origin markets and administrative procedures.
Dispute resolution
Encouraging fair practice, mutual understanding and structured settlement of member trade disputes.
Verified member network
Building confidence in the market through an Association-governed community of recognised firms.