Major cashew port
India: Tuticorin Port restricting imports by 50% due to congestion
Tuticorin Port has put an embargo restricting imports by 50 percent, owing to heavy rush at the Port. Due to this, both importers and exporters are finding it difficult to move cargo as the embargo is on account of congestion at the Port. Moreover, it is not stipulated as to when the port operation would return to normalcy, said a press release issued by the Port authorities.
“With the Tuticorin Port restricting imports by 50 percent, there is a shortage of containers for export, which has prompted traders to turn to Kochi, the next nearest port. We expect that the restricted 50 percent cargo would be diverted to Kochi. This is advantageous to traders also as they can send cargo directly to destinations,” said sources at the DP World, the operators of ICTT, Vallarpadam.
Meanwhile, the congestion at the Tuticorin Port has affected the cashew industry in Kerala.
“Tuticorin is one of the major ports for the export of cashew kernel and import of raw cashew. A considerable quantity of cashew kernel and raw cashew are handled at Tuticorin every year. The majority of the traders who use of the Tuticorin Port for this purpose are from Kollam. In 2013-14, the country imported over four lakh tonnes of raw cashew, valued Rs 2,344 crore. Around 40 percent of the cashew imported is routed through the Tuticorin Port,” the sources said.
“Being the season, now the arrival of raw cashew nut from African countries is in full swing, and the disruption in cargo movement is causing great difficulties to the traders,” sources said.
Meanwhile, the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India(CEPCI) has written to the Tuticorin Port authorities, requesting their intervention in solving the issue of congestion at the earliest.
The CEPCI has also requested the Port authorities to hold a meeting with traders from Kollam to discuss and understand their issues, and suggest solutions.
Source: newindianexpress.com
