WASHINGTON: A team of officials from the Cochin Port Trust led by its chairman G. Senthilvel, accompanied by P. Tamilvanan, advisor (marketing), and Girish Thomas, deputy traffic manager, has met C. Paulrasu, executive director of the Tea Board in Connoor to discuss various aspects of the export of tea through the Kochi port. The team requested the Tea Board to consider setting up a Tea Park at the Kochi Port as adequate land was available and it could be offered on mutually agreeable terms.
A statement issued by the port trust said that setting up a Tea Park would enable exporters to reduce their logistics cost. Mr. Paulrasu appreciated the efforts of the port for resolving the Walayar check post issues and running a dedicated train service to Vallarpadam.
Mr. Paulrasu said that there was a Tea Park at Mettupalayam and he promised that setting up such a facility at the Kochi Port would be examined. The port trust chairman and his team also had a detailed discussion with Mr. Paulrasu on various aspects of tea export through the port. The team provided a detailed breakup of the facilities available at the port for handling tea exports.
The port has the highest productivity in terms of container handling at the international terminal on Vallarpadam Island. There is a dedicated train service from Irugur to Vallarpadam and the Walayar check post issues had been resolved with the help of the State department concerned, the team said. The officials also addressed a gathering of exporters and logistic service providers.
