Drug and pharmaceutical exports from Visakhapatnam sea port and airport will now become easy.
To facilitate exports, a team of officials, including an assistant drug controller (ADC), drug inspector and an assistant drug inspector, has been appointed to function from this port city.
According to Uday Bhaskar, Director–General, Pharmaceutical Exports Promotion Council (Pharmexcil), drug manufacturers and exporters were having difficulty till now in exporting by sea and air due to the non-availability of officials to complete the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NoC).
“Though Visakhapatnam air and sea ports have been notified as eligible for export/import of drugs and pharmaceuticals two years ago, ADC/drug inspectors have not been appointed so far and the exporters had to come to Hyderabad for completing all formalities,’’ Uday Bhaskar said.
Pharmexcil brought the issue to the notice of the Central Drug Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) which facilitated the appointment of the official team, he said.
This will be an advantage for drug exports as Visakhapatnam has a pharma city with presence of many global players such as Eisai Pharma and Indian multinational drug-makers.
There have been plans to set up a second pharma city near Nakkappli in Visakhapatnam disrict as well.
According to industry estimates, post-bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, north Andhra region in the State is poised to emerge as a major destination for pharma firms due to its strategic location and airport, highway and sea connectivity.
As Telangana has no sea port, few bulk drug manufacturers from Hyderabad, which is known as bulk drug capital of India, have also been exporting from Visakhapatnam.
According to Pharmexcil data, pharma exports from India were at $16.4 billion during the financial year ended March 31, 2017.