The Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) in association with Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association (BDMA) and Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) is organizing an interactive meeting with Shambhu Kallolikar, joint secretary, department of pharmaceuticals on February 7, 2014 in Hyderabad.

The main objective of the meeting is to deliberate on the key issues pertaining to the bulk drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) industry in the country.

Today Andhra Pradesh is home for about 270 bulk drug manufacturing companies in the country.  Almost 90 per cent of these companies are small and medium enterprises situated in and around Hyderabad.  Of late Visakhapatnam has emerged as the next emerging destination with a spread of 2400 acres and housing more than 60 pharma companies. The Jawaharlal Nehru Ramky Pharma City in Vizag was developed with an investment of more than Rs. 300 crore.

Having established a strong base for bulk drug industries, Andhra Pradesh is regarded as the bulk drug hub of the country contributing almost 30 per cent of the country’s bulk drugs.

In the past 3 decades, the bulk drug industry, though had seen a gradual rise, but has also seen lot of problems in terms of environmental issues, closure down notices and other drug regulatory issues.

As the Central government has set a target of reaching $25 billion bulk drug exports by 2016, it is essential for the industry to resolve issues related to product expansions and environmental issues.

In view of this the bulk drug manufacturing members of the state in particular and members from all over the country in general can take part in the interactive meeting and put forth their opinions and suggestions so that the central government will come up with a better policy for benefit of the industry in the long run.

“As Shambhu Kallolikar, Joint Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals is visiting Hyderabad on 7th February 2014 members can make use of this opportunity to interact with the secretary on various issues of Bulk drug/API industry,” informed Raghuveer Kini, executive director, Pharmexcil.