Pharma exports from KIA double over last fiscal year

Pharma exports through the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) here more than doubled over the last year.

Buoyed by the rising global demand for affordable Indian-made drugs, pharmaceutical exports clocked an unprecedented 117% year-on-year growth for the first quarter. The AISATS Coolport at the KIA handled about 3,000 tonnes of pharmaceutical cargo in the financial year 2017-18.

In the first quarter of 2018-19, AISATS managed 930 tonnes of pharma cargo compared to 430 tonnes during the same period last year. Pharmaceuticals have constituted about 15% of a total of 31,191 tons of cargo handled by the Coolport since its launch in October 2016.

To hasten the pharma documentation process at the cargo terminal, a drug controller lab will be activated next month. Last month, RFID was introduced to track cargo from the acceptance point to the shipment.

Spread over 11,000 square metres, the Coolport can handle 40,000 metric tonnes of cargo. Perishables including fruits, vegetables, cut flowers, seafood, meat and dairy products, are accepted, handled and delivered at controlled temperatures ranging from -25 to + 25 degrees Celsius.

Besides 16 dedicated cold and freezer rooms, the Coolport has nine indigenously developed Cool Trolleys that maintain the same temperature between the aircraft and warehouse.