Vizag Port sends maiden export of mangoes to UK

Consignment weighing 12 tonnes will reach London in a month

A large consignment of Banganapalli mangoes grown in Nuzvid were shipped in a container vessel to London from Visakhapatnam Port for the first time.

The consignment was sent through Visakha Container Terminal Private Ltd, a BOT operator of Visakhapatnam Port Trust, in the early hours of Sunday by merchant vessel Diaporos.

“This is a proud moment for us. We have made a good beginning after introducing direct container liner service to Western Europe without needing any transhipment,” VPT Deputy Chairman P.L. Haranadh told The Hindu .

The consignment, weighing 12 tonnes, is expected to reach London in a month. Locally grown watermelons are also poised for exports, also for the first time from the State, to Dubai next week. In another development, VPT recently received 14 tonnes of apples from Chile for distribution in Andhra Pradesh and neighbouring States.

The export of the consignment through the port was initiated by Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) from Government Pack House at Nuzvid near Vijayawada. It was ferried to Visakhapatnam by truck and exported in a refrigerated container at a set temperature of eight degrees centigrade. Watermelons need to be stored at a temperature between four and five degrees centigrade.

The export was made by Sree Sadaa Siva Agro & Tech, Vizianagaram and transported after customs clearance by Merilyn Shipping & Transports.

“This is the first export of the world-famous variety from Visakhapatnam Port through VCTPL, which is connected to all ports in the world with direct vessels to Europe and the Far East, said Aashish Pakalapati, General Manager of Merilyn Shipping & Transports.

Overcoming hurdles

VCTPL has put up a good show during the lockdown despite a labour and lorry transportation problem by handling 35,345 and 32,822 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in April and May, 2020 as against 40,481 and 43,989 respectively during corresponding period last year.

The terminal, which has a natural depth of 17 metres, is centrally located on the East Coast with close distance to Malacca Straits. It has a capacity to handle 0.55 million tonne per annum, which is being increased to over 1.5 million tonne with an investment of ₹633 crore.