Coffee exporters from Coorg are looking up to the newly-commissioned Azhikkal port to route their consignments as it offers savings in time and transportation costs.

“At present, we use Mangalore port for our exports, mainly to the European destinations,” said S.L.N. Vishwanath, the managing director of SVL Coffee Pvt Ltd, a major exporter from Kushal Nagar.

“Kannur port will help us cut costs as it is closer to the coffee-growing areas. We are also looking for easier transaction of business as the new port will be less congested, and hence we are keen on it,” he said.

Mr Vishwanath, along with ITC, exports 35,000 tonne of the total exports of 60,000 tonne from the region. “The port officials had contacted us with their proposal earlier and we had asked them to come back with solid proposals. If they can offer us better rates and efficiency of service, we will route our exports through Kannur.”

Kushal Nagar alone exports close to 4,000 containers of coffee and the major destinations are the European countries and the Gulf.

The exporters, however, demand that the port put in place infrastructure facilities such as electronic data interface which would facilitate seamless movement of cargo across ports.

Exporters in Kannur are also keen on the development as it would ensure that the port scale up its activities. The Kannur port, which the Central government had selected for development under the National Maritime Development Plan, received its first vessel on October 31 this year.

source: http://www.asianage.com / The Asian Age / Home> Business / by K.J.Jacob – Kochi / November 12th, 2014