Demand For Logistics, Warehousing Space Outstrips Supply

Structural reforms including the awarding of infrastructure status and the implementation of Goods and Services Act, have bolstered the demand for logistics and warehousing space in the country.

- Steel Insight Bureau

As a result, demand has outstripped the supply, according to JLL’s latest report, Indian Logistics and Warehousing: Tracing the Lifecycle.

The report said that annual demand of around 32 million sq ft has outstripped the supply of 31 million sq ft witnessed for the first time in last four years. With JanuaryMarch period of 2019 already witnessing 8.4 million sq ft. of absorption, it is expected to clock approx. 38 million sq ft by end of 2019. With high demand, lease transactions have remained high so far, it added. Alongside the rise in transactions, the share of Grade A spaces leases have also gone up in the past four years, it said.

Of the total 32 million sq ft of industrial and logistics leases in 2018, 56 percent were concluded in Grade A spaces.

Sectors such as 3PL/logistics, engineering, auto and ancillary, e-commerce, FMCG, retail and telecom and white goods have remained the biggest demand drivers. As a result of the high demand, logistics sector is expected to grow to US$ 215 billion by 2020.

Ramesh Nair, CEO & Country Head, JLL India said, “Favourable investment regulations have made the deployment of development funds a lot easier than it used to be in the past. Moreover, the infrastructure status as expected has added strength to the development pace. GST implementation has brought in a uniform tax regime and has removed the challenges relating to logistics supply chain, making it easier for operators in the space to expand across geographies.”

The sector, as a result of these developments, has witnessed a regular upward trend in average rents in the past three years. The trend is expected to continue in coming years, the report added.

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