| The port, in the present financial year, has so far handled 1.47 million metric tonne (MT) of fertiliser and 6.36 lakh MT of wheat, said H C Venkatesh, traffic manager of Kandla Port Trust. |
| After being shipped in bulk, majority of the commodities are transported to IFFCO, Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns and other private godowns from the Kandla port where there has been a huge demand for outbound logistics, added Venkatesh. |
| At times, to meet the demand, bulk cargo is transported in open dumpers to the storage facilities at Gandhidham. Labourers are outsourced to pack the loose cargo and load it into the trucks, which has also created employment opportunities for labourers in these areas. |
| Navin Aahir, secretary of Gandhidham Local Truck Association, said, "Due to the Kandla Port, transportation business is almost an evergreen business of this province, but since the import of wheat and fertiliser has gained momentum, our schedules have become very hectic." |
| As FCI plans to mobilise this cargo to the northern hinterland states of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, apart from 400-500 trucks and dumpers of Gandhidham-Kandla, services of transporters having vehicles mainly trucks and dumpers of huge capacity from local domain, including Ratnal, Dhaneti, Ambapar, Sapeda, Bhuj, Mandvi and Nakhatarana, are also being outsourced. |
| Refusing to disclose the price charged by the transporters, Aahir said, "Rates are being charged as agreed by the association, which depend on the load and the frequency of trips." |
| Overall, there is a mobilisation of 1,500-1,600 MT cargo on a daily basis, said Aahir. |
| A few vehicles running for mobilising lignite cargo on the Panadharo track have also joined the wheat and fertiliser cargo, said Niraj Mithani, partner of Mahavir Auto Liners, a wheel balancing and alignment set-up located in Gandhidham. |
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