Andhra Pradesh is planning to use the newly operational Alluri Sitarama Raju International Airport at Bhogapuram as a gateway for exporting tuna and other seafood to major overseas markets, including China, Europe and the United States.
The initiative is part of the state government’s broader plan to develop Bhogapuram and the Visakhapatnam region into a major air cargo and logistics hub. Andhra Pradesh is India’s largest seafood-producing state, while the Indian Ocean region accounts for a significant share of global tuna production.
A senior Customs official said the state government has asked officials to prepare a roadmap for starting seafood exports by air from Bhogapuram. Authorities are already engaging with freighter operators and working with GMR Airports to develop the required cargo logistics network.
Tuna has been identified as an attractive cargo for airfreight because of its high value and time-sensitive nature. The Visakhapatnam region, along with Kakinada and Pudimadaka, is a major centre for tuna-related fishing and seafood activity, providing a nearby supply base for the airport.
The airport has been designed to support larger aircraft and international operations. Its first-phase cargo terminal covers around 5,000 square metres and is planned to handle approximately 25,000 tonnes of cargo annually, providing dedicated capacity for seafood, pharmaceuticals, horticultural products and other high-value shipments.
However, developing an efficient seafood airfreight network will require investment in cold-chain infrastructure, temperature-controlled storage and specialised perishable-cargo handling. Industry representatives have also highlighted the relatively high cost of airfreight compared with sea transportation as a challenge.
For premium-grade tuna, exporters believe the higher transportation cost could be justified by the prices that fresh and chilled products can command in international markets. Faster air connectivity could also help exporters reach overseas buyers with shorter transit times and better product quality.
The state is targeting a major expansion in air cargo volumes under its Aviation Policy 2026-31, with the goal of increasing annual air cargo movement from around 6,240 tonnes to 4.27 lakh tonnes by 2035.
Bhogapuram’s cargo ambitions extend beyond seafood. Andhra Pradesh is also seeking to use the airport to handle pharmaceuticals, agricultural products, perishables, engineering goods and other exports, helping reduce the region’s dependence on major metropolitan air-cargo gateways.
If the planned tuna export network takes shape, Bhogapuram could provide Andhra Pradesh’s seafood industry with a direct airfreight gateway to global markets while strengthening Visakhapatnam’s position as an important logistics and export centre on India’s eastern coast.