The International Cargo Operations commence at Visakhapatnam Airport and though it has been pending since sometime, the facility now in operation is set to give a big fillip to exports and business. Civil Aviation Ministry has cleared it and handling of international air cargo starts at the airport today. Since, 3 years AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation have been petitioning the center and Union Civil Aviation Ministry for permission to start operations.
A numerous number of industrial and business venture will directly benefit from it. The principal among these are sea foods exported in frozen state, dry fruits, predominantly cashews and other food items, ceramics, metal and ores and construction raw materials and various big and small machinery and spare parts.
Not just all this but pharma and apparel companies can now find it easier to access overseas markets instead of routing it via Chennai or Hyderabad which was the earlier mode of transport. Pharmaceuticals and apparel have high volume transport requirements and were dependent on a longer and indirect route. The raw material required for the same was also becoming an issue. The various flourishing industries of AP which will benefit from this international air cargo handling at Visakhapatnam Airport are –
- Apparel from Atchutapuram SEZ
- Vizianagaram agro industries
- Cashew ondustry at Srikakulam
- Metal, alloys and machinery from Vizag and Srikakulam.