By our correspondent, New Delhi/Ahmedabad, 5 April 2013

So what is the status of Gujarat government’s perishable cargo centre project at Ahmedabad airport? Well, the building is constructed, equipment are fixed before last one year, but the facility is in idle position due to denial of No Objection Certificate(NOC) by the Airport Authority of India(AAI)!

According to an answer given by Minister of state in the ministry of Civil Aviation Shri KC Venugopal, the project is on halt because the state government wants private firm to operate the Perishable cargo center in the land given by Airport Authority of India(AAI) which is against the policy of AAI.

Replying a question asked by Gujarat MP in Rajya Sabha, the Union minister said that on the request of M/s Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation Limited (GAICL), land was allotted under Center for Perishable Cargo (CPC) policy by Airports Authority of India (AAI) for establishment of CPC facility at Ahmadabad Airport.

The minister further said, “an agreement was also signed between GAICL and Land Directorate of AAI.”

He said, “M/s GAICL has requested for NOC for outsourcing the operation and management of CPC facility which is not permissible as per the extant CPC policy of AAI.”

It should be mentioned here that GACL had assigned outsourcing job for operation, maintenance and management of facility of the project to M/s. Cargo Service Center India Pvt. Ltd.

Background

The exporters of perishable products from Gujarat at present require to go to Mumbai to export their products. Gujarat exports a large quantity of vegetables including capsicum, tomato, ladies finger, exotic flowers, fruits like mangoes and many frozen edibles to foreign countries every year. The Middle East countries especially Dubai and United Kingdom are some of the biggest importers of perishable products.

As of now, the export of perishable products from Gujarat to foreign countries take place via Mumbai airport which is said to have 50 per cent of the market share in the nation. According to rough estimates 40 per cent vegetables exported via Mumbai are sourced from Gujarat while in terms of fruits the figure is estimated to be about 25 per cent.

The Center for Perishable Cargo project which was supposed to take off in 2010 got delayed due to land related issues. Finally, the Airport Authority of India, Ahmedabad, provided land on lease last year.

The building of perishable air cargo complex has already been built and ready for functioning. Rs five crore facility built under RKVY scheme includes three temperature controlled cold storage (zero, minus zero and plus 10 degree) besides X-ray machines among others. It has capacity to handle 40 MT perishable goods per day, both horticulture and agriculture produces, and 30 MT cold storages (10 MT x 3 Nos.). Processing area is 1000 Sq. mtr. The project has been executed with an idea to that the export of perishable goods will get a boost and the farmers of Gujarat will get remunerative price for their produces. Moreover,it will also help to minimize agriculture/horticulture waste, create employment opportunities in rural areas by encouraging value added farm production.