A mechanised fertilizer bagging unit is expected to be commissioned at the Cochin port soon. A demonstration of the unit was held at the port on Thursday, dispelling fears about the delay in the evacuation of fertilizer and input parcels that arrive at the port here.
Fertilizers and fertilizer inputs have been one of the major items of cargo that pass through Kochi. With the installation of the mechanised bagging unit, it would be possible for the port to draw more cargo to the terminals here.
The Cochin Port handled a total of 1,44,887 tonnes of rock phosphate between April 1, 2011 and March 19 this year.
This is against the total of 1,45,856 tonnes handled by the port during the whole of 2010-11.
The port also handled 1,70,514 tonnes of sulphur during the current financial year against the 1,89,916 tonnes of the commodity during 2010-11.
With the shifting of the container operations to the International Container Transshipment Terminal at Vallarpadam, Cochin Port Trust authorities have been trying to woo more bulk cargo consignments to the terminals at the port.
The installation of the mechanised bagging unit is the result of such efforts. The port had been straddled with the problem of delay in evacuation of bulk cargo, especially fertilizer inputs.
