The Hindu : Truck stir: export of fruits, vegetables likely to be hit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Truck stir: export of fruits, vegetables likely to be hit

By S. Anil Radhakrishnan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM APRIL 17. Exporters of fresh fruits and vegetables to various destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Canada, Paris and London are facing all kinds of odds to procure the perishables from within the State and adjoining Tamil Nadu and to transport them to Thiruvananthapuram, Nedumbassery and Karipur airports in view of the four-day long nation-wide indefinite stir by truck owners.

With trucks off the roads following the strike call, exporters are depending on taxis and private cars to bring the perishables. Over a dozen established firms involved in the export are sending the corrugated cartons to the farm houses in Kalakkad and Valliyoor in Tamil Nadu to collect the fresh fruits and vegetables and to bring them directly to the airport.

Of the estimated 62 tonnes of fresh fruits and vegetables exported on a daily basis from the three airports of the State, 50 tonnes is exported from the Thiruvananthapuram international airport alone. The annual foreign exchange earnings received by the country from the export comes to the tune of Rs. 150 crores.

``The stir has not affected the export till today as we have some stock of banana and non-perishable items. But if it continues, the export of fresh fruits and vegetables from the three airports will decline in the coming days'', the Secretary of the Agricultural Products and Processed Food Exporters Association (APPEXA), Dil Koshy, told The Hindu.

The stir by the truckers has come as a setback for the exporters as normalcy was being restored following the crisis in view of the U.S military action in Iraq. The exports of fresh fruits and vegetables to the Middle East destinations had dropped by 30 to 40 per cent once the U.S military action commenced.

The priority for troop movement in the Gulf countries had also affected export of perishables from the State. According to exporters, buyers were refusing to accept goods following the lack of priority in clearance.

The hike in the freight rates, which is on an average of Rs. 40 per kg, and the fuel surcharge of Rs. 2.25 per kg for the goods exported has come as a setback for the exporters from the State. ``We were expecting a boom in the export during the days of Vishu as in the previous years. But, the trucker's strike has come as a big setback for us'', Mr. Koshy said.

Of the 95 per cent of fresh fruits and vegetables exported to various destinations in Middle East in various flights through Thiruvananthapuram international airport daily, 80 per cent is procured from adjoining Kanyakumari and Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu. This includes highly perishable fruits such as banana, plantain varieties and vegetables. Bittergourd, spring beans, tapioca and raw and green banana are procured from Kerala.

The remaining five per cent of fresh fruits and vegetables is exported to Europe, Canada, Paris and London. A small quantity of fish from Kanyakumari is exported to Zurich and European destinations in Silk Air, Gulf Air and Sri Lankan airlines.

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