Shrimp Export up by 56 Per Cent in State

The State has achieved a growth of 56.13 per cent in shrimp export during 2014-15 when the fish production increased by 13 per cent to 4.67 lakh tonnes.

BHUBANESWAR: The State has achieved a growth of 56.13 per cent in shrimp export during 2014-15 when the fish production increased by 13 per cent to 4.67 lakh tonnes.

Shrimp aquaculture has shown a tremendous growth in the country during the last fiscal with a total production of 4,34,558 MT which is 30.64 per cent more than the previous financial year.

Odisha is the fourth major shrimp producing State after Andhra Pradesh (2,79,727 MT), Tamil Nadu (32,785 MT) and Gujarat (30,156 MT).

The marine food products from the State was up by 26 per cent to Rs 2,300 crore during 2014-15 against Rs 1,699 crore in the previous year.

The State Government has set up an ambitious target to step up seafood exports to Rs 10,000 crore in the next five years. The Fisheries department has drawn up a plan to enhance marine food export along with achieving self-sufficiency in fresh water fish production, official sources said.

While fish production in the State has increased from 3,70,643 tonnes in 2009-10 to 4,67,076 tonnes in 2014-15, inland fish production during this period has increased from 2,41,311 tonnes to 3,33,865 tonnes.

Similarly, the marine fish production has increased from 1,29,332 tonnes to 1,33,211 tonnes during the same period. Sea food export has gone up from Rs 421 crore in 2009-10 to Rs 2,300 crore in 2014-15.

The State Government has taken up a host of measures to boost fish production. The measures include 50 per cent subsidy for pond development, leasing out brackish water area to self-help groups, marginal farmers, primary fishermen cooperative societies, women cooperatives and educated unemployed youth for aquaculture and interest subvention on long and short term credit.

The State Government has asked the Fisheries department to promote 16 fishing clusters in Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts.

The State Government is in the process of finalising a comprehensive Fishery Policy to accelerate the growth in  fishery sector.

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