Trade representatives urge goverrnment to boost cargo exports from airports in A.P.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announces government support for upgrading air cargo infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh airports, boosting exports.

The announcement of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in the Union Budget-2025, that the government will facilitate the upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo, particularly high-value perishable goods like horticulture and seafood, is a godsend not only for Vizag but also for other airports in Andhra Pradesh.

Exporters from North Andhra region have been drawing the attention of the successive governments on the need to establish multi-temperature air cargo facilities from Visakhapatnam International Airport to tap the tremendous demand for export of perishable goods like seafood, pharmaceutical products, mangoes, pickles and flowers from the region.

A few years ago, an exporter from North Andhra, had complained at an air cargo exporters meeting in Visakhapatnam that he had orders for export of a particular variety of mango, which were in great demand in Europe. The lack of multi-temperature controlled cold storage facility at Visakhapatnam Airport, was preventing him from taking up that high-value order.

The lack of multi-temperature controlled cold storage facilities is hindering exports of perishable horticulture produce, pharmaceutical products and seafood. The exporters have been complaining that they were being forced to transport perishable goods through insulated trucks all the way from Visakhapatnam to Hyderabad by road resulting in higher cost of transportation and delayed deliveries of cargo.

Against their backdrop, representatives of AP Air Travellers Association (APATA) O. Naresh Kumar, K. Kumar Raja and D.S. Varma met Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman during her visit to the city on March 6, and apprised her of the immense potential to boost cargo exports from various airports in the State, and sought her cooperation for the improvement of amenities, based on the strengths of the respective airports.

A.P. is India’s largest seafood exporter, generating ₹20,000 crore annually through seafood exports. It is a leader in horticulture, ranking 1st in chillies, cocoa, lime, oil palm, papaya, and tomato production, and 2nd in cashew, mango, and sweet orange production nationwide.

Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman told them that appropriate action could be initiated if the State government came up with the proposal and submits detailed project reports (DPRs) for the same.