VISAKHAPATNAM: The district administration is gearing up to hold one of the biggest seafood festivals in Asia, the 20th India International Seafood Show-2016 to be held from September 23 to 25 at Port Diamond Jubilee stadium here. Union minister of state for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman will inaugurate the expo being jointly organised by Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI).
Key leaders including Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Union ministers M Venkaiah Naidu, Radha Mohan Singh and others will be attending the seafood exhibition. Trade Initiatives and Fiscal issues in the seafood industry, regulatory requirements for seafood trade, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture and fish trade related international requirements will be the topics of the technical sessions, according to sources.
According to MPEDA deputy director Ansar Ali, 300 stalls have been arranged and around 2,500 delegates, including exhibitors and over 150 foreign delegates, will participate in the show. The show will be one of the largest seafood fairs in Asia and a common forum for seafood processors, exporters, importers, aquaculture farmers, processing machinery manufacturers and allied industries, Ansar Ali said. The show will attract a large number of companies in seafood export and trade enabling them to find techniques and solutions for the development of the business. The main objective of the show is to highlight India’s immense potential and capabilities in the aquaculture, fisheries and processing sector, he added.
Collector Pravin Kumar and police commissioner T Yoganand visited the port stadium and reviewed the arrangements. On the occasion, Pravin Kumar said that this was the second time Visakhapatnam city would be hosting the event. On the last day people would be allowed to witness the show.
Yoganand said that over 1,000 police personnel would be deputed for the security arrangements and CC cameras would be also erected at the venue. An exclusive control room is being set up in the stadium, he added.
Seafood Exporters Association of India national president V Padmanabham said during the past five years there was 335 per cent increase in seafood business in India. It achieved Rs 10,000 crore in 2009-10 while it was Rs 33,500 crore in 2015-16. Andhra Pradesh accounts for 45 per cent of the total seafood exports of India, he added.