As part of cashing in on the Kerala government’s ‘Coastal Shipping’ policy, Food Corporation of India  had started shipping foodgrains to Kerala through the Kochi port last year. Next on the list is Kollam, and, if things work out, Vizhinjam as well.

Tenders will be floated soon for shipping rice from Andhra Pradesh to Kerala through the Kollam port, FCI officials said.

 From Kollam port, the rice will be taken to the FCI storage facilities at Kollam, Karunagappally, Mavelikkara, Avaneeswaram, and economics allowing, to Kazhakootam and Valiyathura depots as well, FCI General Manager (Kerala) J S Syju told ‘Express’.

For shipping, the ‘bagged’ grain is packed in cargo containers, which heavily reduce chances of contamination and in-transit loss.

Compared to rail transport, shipping is economical as well.“We had started bringing in foodgrain from Kakinada in Andhra to Kochi during March-April last year after analysing costs involved, losses and other damage.

We found that shipping from Kakinada to Kochi and then transporting the grain to six depots in central Kerala was economical compared to freighting by train,’’ Syju said.

Additionally, shipping also reduced the chances of foodgrains getting contaminated by cement and fertilisers which are also transported in bulk via rail.

Plans to bring in foodgrains through Vizhinjam heavily hinge on the ability of the existing small port to handle big vessels.

According to FCI officials, the port should have a draft of at least 7.5 metres if this project is to take off.

The state government had launched its Coastal Shipping project by linking the Kochi and Kollam port in Phase I.

During Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s recent visit to Thiruvananthapuram, the Food Corporation of India  had said that movement of stocks through Kollam, Vizhinjam, Kozhikode and Azheekal ports was “under active consideration.’

Source:- newindianexpress.com