Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways approves Rs 284.19 Crore PPP Project to revolutionise agri-logistics and reduce wastage.
In a significant move to bolster India’s agricultural export and import capabilities, the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal approves the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA)’s project of ‘Development of Export-Import cum Domestic Agricultural Commodity-Based Processing & Storage Facility at JNPA on PPP Mode’ worth Rs. 284.19 Crore.
The JNPA is set to establish an all-in-one state-of-the-art agricultural facility at the port, spanning 67,422 square meters. This pioneering facility will address inefficiencies in logistics, reduce multiple handlings, and extend the shelf life of agricultural products. Expected benefits include better prices for agricultural goods, job creation, and overall growth in the agricultural sector. It will empower farmers and exporters, stimulate demand, and foster rural development.
The facility will cater to exports of prominent items like non-basmati rice, maize, spices, onion, and wheat. As JNPA is the dominant gateway for frozen meat products and a major gateway for marine products, the new facility will also support exporters of meat and marine products from areas away from Mumbai. Small exporters, in particular, will benefit from the port-based facility, improving their capabilities in logistics, container booking, cold chain logistics, and export operations. The estimated export capacity increase includes a frozen store of 1800 metric tonnes, a cold store of 5800 metric tonnes, and dry warehouses with a capacity of 12,000 metric tonnes for grains, cereals, and dry cargo.
“Under the visionary leadership of PM Narendra Modi, Ministry for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) is committed to create a robust infrastructure that not only enhances agricultural export capabilities but also supports farmers and rural communities. The development of this all-in-one agricultural facility at JNPA will streamline logistics, reduce wastages, and provide better prices for agricultural products. This is a significant step towards empowering our farmers and boosting India’s agricultural sector,” stated the Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Shri Sonowal.
