India’s First Integrated Agri-Export Facility to be Established at Mumbai's JNPA

Tags: National News

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) has approved the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority's (JNPA) project for the 'Development of an Export-Import and Domestic Agricultural Commodity-Based Processing and Storage Facility' at JNPA in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to be executed in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

An Overview of the News

• This Rs. 284.19 crore all-in-one agricultural facility is India's first integrated Agri-Export facility, designed to enhance the country's agricultural export and import capabilities.

• JNPA will establish a state-of-the-art agricultural facility covering 67,422 square meters.

• The facility aims to address logistics inefficiencies, reduce multiple handlings, and extend the shelf life of agricultural products.

• It will streamline logistics, reduce wastages, and provide better prices for agricultural products.

• The project will empower farmers and boost India’s agricultural sector.

Export Capabilities and Support

• The facility will cater to the export of items like non-basmati rice, maize, spices, onion, and wheat.

• It will support exporters of meat and marine products, especially from areas away from Mumbai.

• Small exporters will benefit from improved logistics, container booking, cold chain logistics, and export operations.

• The facility includes a frozen store (1,800 metric tonnes), a cold store (5,800 metric tonnes), and dry warehouses (12,000 metric tonnes).

Alignment with Government Vision

• The project aligns with the government’s vision of empowering farmers and fostering rural development.

• It sets a precedent for future infrastructure projects to support and enhance India’s agricultural capabilities.

• JNPA is a leading container port among the top 100 global ports as per Lloyds List Top 100 Ports Report.

Development of Vadhavan Port

• The Ministry of Ports and Shipping is developing Vadhavan Port on the Maharashtra coast with a total investment of about Rs 76,220 crore.

• Vadhavan Port will be an all-weather greenfield deep draft major port in Palghar district.

• The project will include core infrastructure, terminals, and commercial infrastructure in a public-private partnership mode.

• The port will handle 23 million TEUs or 254 million tons annually and accommodate larger container vessels of up to 20,000 TEUs.

• The project aims to rank among the world’s top 10 largest ports and serve as a significant green fuel hub.