Beehive starts operating in HYD to move pharma for CIS nations, Russia

December 9, 2020: Beehive Logistics (India), representing Uzbekistan Airways as GSA in India, today announced that it has started operating cargo flights on HYD-TAS-SVO route carrying essential pharmaceutical supplies from Hyderabad International Airport to Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) nations and Russia.

It has been operating flights from Delhi and Mumbai earlier.

“Due to the ongoing pandemic crisis, the demand for undisrupted pharma supply has increased manifold. To accommodate the requirements of pharma companies in Uzbekistan, CIS nations and Russia, Beehive Logistics has now started operations from Hyderabad too,” says the release.

Hyderabad accounts for 40 percent of the total Indian bulk drug production and 50 percent of the bulk drug exports and is also considered as the 'bulk drug capital of India'. It is home to a few of the top pharma companies like Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Aurobindo pharmaceuticals, Mylan, Novartis, Nicholas Piramal, etc.

As a part of Sentro Group, Beehive Logistics has also signed an exclusive contract with JODAS Expoim, a pharma company located in Hyderabad, to supply its pharmaceuticals to CIS nations and Russia.

“With the JODAS Expoim and other pharma companies as the key shippers, Beehive Logistics have sent more than 4,39,985 kg of essential pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical supplies and general cargo in November 2020. The flights operate back to back with Uzbekistan Airways’ Boeing 767 aircraft,” says the release.

Beehive Logistics have sent more than 4,39,985 kg of essential pharmaceuticals, vaccines, medical supplies and general cargo in November 2020.

Dr Naveen Rao, group chairman, Sentro Group, said, “Since, Hyderabad is known as the pharma and vaccine hub of India, it made sense to expand our operations in the city apart from Delhi and Mumbai. We have been continuously working hard during this unprecedented time and our goal is to ensure an unbroken supply chain of pharma supplies to Uzbekistan and other CIS nations along with Russia. And our exclusive contract with JODAS pharma gives a competitive advantage as Russia and CIS nations are the main importers of pharmaceuticals goods from JODAS Expoim.”

Dr Rao also added that we can see a definite surge in demand for air cargo logistical services in CIS nations for supply and distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine. “Beehive Logistics and our airline partner Uzbekistan Airways is already in the process of planning and deploying more temperature-sensitive cargo flights to capture and fulfil that demand in the future,” he said.

Sashi Shankar P. Singh, co-founder and director of JODAS Expoim, said, “We have been supplying pharmaceutical goods to Russia and CIS Nations for more than a decade now. Our association with Beehive Logistics is going to smoothen that supply chain further with their professional expertise and time-bound services.”

Anish Khatri, GM (Uzbekistan Airways - GSA Beehive Logistics) said, “There is a high demand for pharmaceutical shipments from India to CIS nations and Russia. And to support that demand, we expanded our operations in Hyderabad to keep the vital supply chains moving with the leading pharma exporters from the region. Though it is a challenging time for the cargo industry, with continuous efforts and strategic planning, a new journey can begin.”