International air cargo operation to start from Bhubaneswar Airport soon

Bhubaneswar: International air cargo operations will start from Biju Patnaik International Airport by the end of January, said an official.

The airport already had all clearances to start the operations.

MSME secretary L.N. Gupta and Airports Authority of India executive director (cargo operations) Neera Rawat had recently held a discussion to start cargo operations from the city airport.

During the meeting, Rawat assured all help w to start the operations.

Gupta said customs commissioner Deepak Arora had been intimated about the place for setting up an air cargo complex within the airport.

This will fulfill the long standing demand of the exporters to have hassle free export of their goods to the foreign countries and boost export from the state.

Odisha Seafood Exporters’ Association member S.N. Swain said starting air cargo operations from the airport would help the seafood business to widen its reach.

“This is an international facility and a cargo hub would help it gain an edge over other international airports in the country,” he said.

Swain said that at present, despite the availability of 26 processing units in the state for shrimps and other seafood, export from here was in block frozen form.

Odisha is a leading producer and contributor to the Seafood Export basket of the country. Out of 4.67 Lakh Metric Ton (MT) of fish produced in 2014-15, the state exported  34,767 MT valuing Rs.2070 Crore, which is higher by 12.26 percent in volume and 14 percent in value respectively compared to 2013-14.

Of the total seafood export, 97.79 percent is contributed by frozen shrimp and 1.72 percent by frozen fish and rest 0.49 PC is other products including chilled items.

With the air cargo handling facilities, processors and exporters will be able to reach and tap markets in West Asia and South East Asia in a shorter time where demands for such items exist in large.