VIJAYAWADA: Following Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan’s inspection of Kakinada port, Sadhu Narasimha Reddy, Commissioner of Customs, Customs Commissionerate (Preventive), Vijayawada, convened a meeting with all stakeholders at the Kakinada Custom House to address concerns and enhance collaboration.
The Commissioner reassured stakeholders of Customs’ commitment to supporting lawful trade and resolving issues efficiently. Members of the trade raised concerns about the newly implemented Sea Cargo Manifest and Transhipment Regulations (SCMTR) and technical challenges related to the CBLMS portal. In response, the Commissioner promised a training session on SCMTR and assured that technical issues with the CBLMS portal will be forwarded to the concerned team for swift resolution.
The issue of PDS rice export was also a focal point of the discussion. The Commissioner clarified that Customs’ role begins only after rice enters the Customs-notified area at Anchorage Port. Customs does not verify the origin or procurement of rice.
BV Krishna Rao, president of Rice Exporters Association, expressed the association’s commitment to adhering to laws and collaborating with authorities to prevent the diversion of PDS rice for export.
The meeting also highlighted the operational integrated check post established at the Port Area by the District Collector of Kakinada. Functional since August 5, 2024, the check post is manned round the clock by officials from Police, Civil Supplies, Revenue, and Port departments. It randomly inspects incoming vehicles. Exporters must obtain NOCs from the AP State Civil Supplies, verified at the check post by SPF before rice-loaded vehicles are allowed into port premises.
The Commissioner instructed Customs staff to support the Civil Supplies Department and stated that Customs’ role is limited to verifying whether the rice matches the description in the Shipping Bill, Invoice, Packing List, and Contract Copy. Only then is permission granted for loading onto barges and export vessels.
Reaffirming Customs’ dedication to preventing the misuse of PDS goods, he said that the Chief Commissioner of Customs & Central Tax, Visakhapatnam Zone, will soon convene a meeting in Vizag with stakeholders. “We are planning to defer handling white rice exports until clarity is established on the issue,” announced G. Chandrasekhar, president of the Stevedores Association.