With overseas air cargo growth witnessing a continuous upswing at the Tiruchi international airport, an internal target of 6,000 metric tonnes has been set in the 2015-16 fiscal.
A higher target has been fixed going by the current volume of cargo handled and in anticipation of its rise in the present financial year.
Operating overseas flights to Sri Lanka, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai, the Tiruchi airport clocked 4,973 metric tonnes in 2014-15 financial year, a marginal increase of 200 metric tonnes over the previous fiscal’s figure of 4,773 metric tonnes.
The steady growth since 2011-12 fiscal has been witnessed despite lack of dedicated overseas freighters and without change in commodity profile besides absence of direct connectivity to several Middle East and European destinations from Tiruchi.
Perishable commodities account for bulk of cargo dispatched from the Tiruchi airport, a fast growing one in the country.
Airport sources said Air Asia operating flights to Kuala Lumpur tops the list of overseas airline in cargo uplift from Tiruchi followed by Sri Lankan Airlines and Tiger Airways.
The sources said the performance of air cargo growth was reviewed during a trade facilitation meeting convened by the Airports Authority of India at the airport here on Saturday.
Chaired by the Airport Director, the meeting was attended by representatives of South Indian Chamber of Commerce, Karur Exporters Association, Tiruchi District Tiny and Small Scale Industries Association, IATA agents, airlines, customs, logistics and service providers. Cargo related issues were discussed at the meeting, the sources added.
