VISAKHAPATNAM: Vizag-based Sandhya Aqua Exports, which made headlines following the seizure of a huge quantity of narcotics by the CBI, was founded by Kunam Veerabhadra Rao, who hails from a shrimp farming family, in 2005.
It has been engaged in manufacturing feed, farming and processing of shrimp. It has a business presence in different continents, including the US and Europe.
The fully family-owned company operates three units with 8 IQF lines, 4 cooking lines, and 6 plate freezers to process 50,000 MT per year. Its raw materials are being procured from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu, with 70% of the total coming from Andhra Pradesh. Kunam Kotaiah Chowdary is the director, while Hari Krishna Kunam is the vice-president and CXO of the company.
A company release said, they recently set up a shrimp feed plant at Kathipudi in West Godavari district. With a view to source ‘dry yeast’ which is an important raw material in the manufacturing of shrimp feed, they have consulted various industry majors and nutritionists for a viable and quality vendor. They have been advised to source ‘dry yeast’ from ICC, Brazil, which is marketing it under the commercial name ‘Star Yeast 370’.
It said they placed an order for 25,000 kg of ‘dry yeast’ for the first time as a trial run and have made full payment for the consignment even before its voyage has commenced. The product consignment from ICC, Brazil has been duly certified for its contents by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply - MAPA, Federative Republic of Brazil vide their certificate dated 17-01-2024 and thereafter the consignment has been shipped and reached from Santos Port, Brazil via transshipment at Hamburg Port, Germany to Visakhapatnam Port on March 16.
Pursuant to the information received from Interpol, Germany, the CBI along with the Customs Department at Vizag Port have intercepted the container and it is the same container that is shipping the consignment that belongs to our company.
On Tuesday, the said container has been opened by the CBI along with other officials and witnesses alongside the presence of our company representatives. The consignment of 20 pallets was randomly tested by the officials with the aid of an NCB narcotic drugs detection kit and have allegedly found traces of narcotics. Consequently, the CBI has initiated their investigation into the alleged narcotic substances and at this point in time they are fully cooperating with the investigation.
However, in various media, it is being projected as if the entire 25,000 kg is a narcotics substance and the same is however in stark contrast to the reality. Allegedly it is only traces of certain narcotics that are found in the larger consignment of 25,000 kg ‘dry yeast’, it said.
The release said Sandhya Aqua is a genuine business house, has a long and strong reputation in the global seafood trade, and has never been involved in any prohibited trade or activities. Sandhya Aqua requests everybody to show restraint and support in these testing times.
Meanwhile, the CBI continued the investigation on the second day on Friday. The team reportedly visited the plant of Sandhya Aqua at Kakinada.
