Cochin Special Economic Zone

Cochin Special Economic Zone

Type	Government owned
Industry	Multi-product industrial park
Genre	Infrastructure service provider
Founded	1984
Headquarters	Kochi, India
Owner	Government of India
Number of employees	15,000+
Website	www.csez.com

The Cochin Special Economic Zone (CSEZ) is a multi-product Special Economic Zone located at Kochi, Kerala. It is established in an area of 41.7 hectares (103.0 acres) in the Kakkanad area under the Thrikkakara Municipality.

It is a multi-product zone, with industrial units operating in Electronics Hardware, Engineering, Gem & Jewellery, IT & ITES, Agro & Food Processing, Textile & garments, Plastic & Rubber etc. Currently it has around 160 units operating employing more than 15,000 people. In FY2011-12, the total exports from the zone stood at ₹ 29,961 crore, recording a 63% rise in exports compared to the previous financial year.

For the current financial year 2012-13, as on 30 September 2012, the total exports from CSEZ stand at ₹ 16,306 crore, ranking it the third among SEZs in the country.

CSEZ was originally started as one of the first Export Processing Zone in India, and was later converted into a Special Economic Zone in 2003, when that system was introduced. It is operated by the Government of India, Ministry of Commerce, under the CSEZ Authority, and headed by a Development Commissioner. It is the first integrated industrial park in Kerala.

The land area of the existing zone in Kochi has been fully utilized. As part of expansion of CSEZ, a proposal to set up phase II of the Zone in 125 acres of land adjacent to the Infopark in Cherthala has been mooted.

CSEZ offers standard design factory floors, and plots of land for building custom buildings. There is a dedicated building for IT/ITES units, built with private participation. Power distribution, Telephone connectivity, Water supply and sewage processing are managed by the zone authority. There is on site customs facilities for easy processing of import and export.