As reported by Abraham Philip, President of the Cochin Customs House Agents Association and one of the trustees of Cochin Port Trust, “The problem was that we do not produce apples in southern India, so it was a great blow to the country’s importers, shipping lines and customs brokers. Consequently, we went to the high court and as a result the import through Cochin will be possible. Whether the situation will go back to normal now is something that traders importing the apples must decide,” he states.
In any case, he explains that, for now, this will not apply to all ports, but only to Cochin, which has some of the highest transaction costs in India which may still spell trouble for importers. “There are terminal handling charges, documentation charges, container facilitation charges, etc.; so charges will be exorbitant,” he explains. “That is what you have to face before being able to load the product.”
In this regard, Philip advises to take up the matter with all the shipping lines and try to include the terminal handling charges, documentation charges and many other charges under different nomenclature (consolidated rate) may be included in the ocean freight, so that the importers and the business community will benefit. If the consolidated rate is known to the importers, then more containers will be imported through Cochin,” he concludes.”
For more information:
Abraham Philip (President)
Cochin Customs House Agents Association, Cochin (India)
Mob: 9567863804 / 9447168657
Tel: 0484-2666370 / 2668014
email:papl2006@vsnl.net