The operator of India’s Hyderabad International Airport, GHIAL, has unveiled a project to set up a “world-class” Centre for Perishable Cargo (CPC).
In a statement, GHIAL said: “Being at the geographical centre of India, Hyderabad offers a great advantage for logistics movements of perishable cargo both within India and connecting South East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the US.”
The CPC will be designed to handle 13,000 tonnes annually of perishable cargo in the first phase of development, up to 2011. The capacity will be raised to 25,000t a year in the second phase, in 2013-14.
GHIAL has assessed the export potential to be 5,000t in the near future as export officials estimate the country produces about 10.5 million tonnes of fruit and vegetables annually.
GHIAL’s chief commercial officer Viswanath Attaluri said: “Infrastructure is the key to economic development and we are confident that our proposed CPC at Hyderabad would give a great boost to the movement of perishables and will boost the horticulture activity of Andhra Pradesh and South India in particular. Also at a national level in general it will greatly benefit the farmers and make them more competitive in the present WTO regime.”
