KOCHI: The Centre for Perishable Cargo (CPC) being set up by Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL), in association with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), is expected to reinvigorate the farming sector in the State by increasing the export potential of agricultural produce.

The construction of the centre is fast progressing and was likely to be commissioned by July or August this year, Shriram Bharath, CIAL managing director, told The Hindu . The Rs.15.02-crore project coming up on a 1,800-sq.m. area is one of the flagship projects drawn up by CIAL as part of its land utilisation plans.

APEDA, the nodal organisation for export promotion of agricultural products, was originally scheduled to extend a grant of Rs.8.37 crore for the venture as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with CIAL on May 25, 2004. However, APEDA enhanced the grant component by about Rs.4 crore to develop the centre as a world-class facility considering the immense possibilities it presented in boosting the export of agricultural produce.

Last year, the total export through the Kochi airport was 12,700 metric tonnes, of which perishable cargo alone accounted for 7,000 tonnes.

"Once the CPC becomes operational, we are expecting an immediate growth of 30 per cent, a jump to 9,000 tonnes, in the annual movement of perishable cargo," Mr. Bharath said. "Our ultimate target is to handle 25,000 metric tonnes of perishable cargo in a year," he said.

At present, the absence of storage facility was impeding the movement of perishable items through the airport. Exporters of perishable products were forced to rush in with their consignment in the last minute, as it had to be straightaway loaded into the aircraft. Sometimes the products were left behind due to the last-minute cancellation of flights or lack of cargo space.

The CPC curb such wastages of perishable products as the exporters would be able to bring it to the airport early enough. The centre would have six chambers of variable temperature settings ensuring that the commodities was stored at the exact temperature best suited for its preservation, Mr. Bharath said.

The Centre would ensure a complete cold chain in the movement of the perishable products right from the field to the time it is loaded on to the aircraft.

This meant that the products were not deprived of their freshness and quality thus increasing the scope of finding better markets and consistent demand. Though the CPC was to be commissioned much earlier it was delayed primarily because the airport had to apprise the Government of India for receiving the enhanced grant component from APEDA.

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