KOCHI: While the Budget announced a slew of measures to promote shrimp farming, the marine fisheries sector feels let down. Around 1 lakh families in Kerala are dependent on marine fisheries and fishermen have been clamouring for steps to protect their livelihood. Fish farms in Kerala produce around 35,000 tonnes of shrimp a year compared to Andhra Pradesh which produces over 5 lakh tonnes. Peeling centres in Kerala source shrimp from Andhra for processing and exports.
“Fish farmers in Alappuzha, Ernakulam and Thrissur farm shrimps the traditional way, but returns are very low due to poor quality of water. The reduction of Basic Customs Duty on broodstocks, polychaete worms and fish feed will benefit the sector as input cost is high and prices are abysmally low,” said Vijayanath Kaimal, a fish farmer in Alappuzha.
Seafood exporters are also unhappy with the proposal to provide aid through NABARD. “The NABARD aid is for capital investment. What we need is support from the banking sector to meet working capital shortage. The Red Sea crisis has delayed transportation of consignments to Europe. As payments are delayed, our accounts are stressed.
This has landed the export sector in crisis,” said Seafood Exporters Association of India Regional president Premachandra Bhat. “The fisheries sector in Kerala is in deep crisis. We have been demanding steps to promote deep-sea fishing and a subsidy for diesel used by mechanised boats. But the Centre ignored our pleas.
The benefits announced by the finance minister are for aquaculture sector but Kerala’s share in fish farming is limited,” said All Kerala Fishing Boat Operators Association general secretary Joseph Xavier Kalappurackal.