VIJAYAWADA: Integrated planning should be developed by the Andhra Pradesh Government to promote ports and port-based industries for enabling trade and manufacturing in the State, said Krishnapatnam Port chief executive officer Yendluri Anil Kumar.
Participating in an interactive session organised by the AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation (APCCIF) on ‘Port and Port-based Industrial Development in AP’ here on Friday, Anil Kumar said that Andhra Pradesh has great scope for promoting trade with eastern countries like Japan, Singapore, Vietnam and China by developing the major ports on a war-footing. He said that State is a leading exporter of seafoods in the country. As many as 3.7 lakh tonnes of seafoods were being exported by the country every year, of which AP alone occupies the lion share and exports 2.7 lakh tonnes per annum.
The country earns around Rs 38,000 crore per annum through sea food exports and of this, Rs 28,000 crore is from AP alone, he said. Focus should be laid on providing proper infrastructure like road and rail connectivity to the sea ports. Integrated check-posts should be established and all the toll gates should be converted into smart check-posts to promote cargo transport through roads which automatically reduce the transportation time, he opined.
Anil Kumar also appealed the State Government to develop port-based industries in and around the ports to generate employment for the youth - both skilled and unskilled. The Government should put in place measures to develop accident free and safe highways, auto nagars, truck parking bays, warehouses, hotels and lodges to generate revenue for the State.
As of now, the Krishnapatnam Port is handling exports ranging between 80 million metric tonnes to 200 mmt per annum and tobacco, cotton, chillies and granite at the chief exports. Surprisingly, none of the entrepreneurs from AP are coming forward to establish their industries in the surroundings of the Krishnapatnam Port. “Most of the entrepreneurs are from Gujarat and Mumbai and they have established edible oil plants in the vicinity of the port,” he said.
Referring to the construction of ports at Machilipatnam and Duggirajapatnam, the Krishnapatnam Port CEO said that as of now the projects are in the initial stages and it would take a while for them to come into being.