Plans by the State port department to encourage movement of raw cashew to Kollam from Tuticorin by the sea route bypassing Kochi has raised the hackles of the port stakeholders here with some of them describing the move as detrimental to the interests of the Kochi port.
Reports indicated that the Kerala State department of ports is working out an agreement with the Tuticorin port authority for direct transport of raw cashew to Kollam, which the department planned to develop as a cashew hub. Until now, cashew used to be shipped to the Kochi port and taken to Kollam by road. Cochin Port Joint Trade Union Forum, a combine of trade unions at the Cochin Port Trust, demanded on Wednesday that Minister for Ports K. Babu must “correct” his stand on the issue as he was well aware of the commercial importance of the Kochi port to Kerala. Cashew is an important commodity for Kochi and while promoting other ports, the interest of the port here should not be sacrificed, said a spokesman for the trade union combine. Kochi port handles about 12,000 TEUs of cashew a year.
Meanwhile, plans to increase coastal cargo movement has received some momentum with a shipping line offering to issue in-transit Bill of Lading for cashew consignments arriving in Kochi, which will simplify clearance procedures for cargo headed for destinations like Kollam.
The offer came at a meeting of stakeholders in Kollam on Monday, which discussed increasing cargo movement through the coastal mode and increasing cargo throughput at the port of Kollam, industry sources said. However, what is urgently required is working out the per unit charges at State-run port, which will bring out the financial feasibility of moving cargo using the coastal waters, they said.
State is planning direct transport of cashew to Kollam.
