BHUBANESWAR: Minister for Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD) Ranendra Pratap Swain underscored the need for policy changes and more funding towards research and development (R&D) to scale up aquaculture for the socio-economical development of fish farmers.
Addressing a seminar on 'Diversified aquaculture with special focus to Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT)' here on Monday on the occasion of the golden jubilee celebration of Marine Product Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and silver jubilee of Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA) in association with FARD, the Minister said that the State which stood fourth in terms of aquaculture production in the country and the total production was 9.91 lakh tonnes during last financial year.
"Seafood exports from Odisha touched record Rs 4,560 crore last year and all credit goes to the farmers, hatchery operators, feed manufacturers, exporters, researchers and workers who contributed for the fish production and exports," Swain said.
He added that it is time to learn from diversified aquaculture from other countries such as Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, China and even our neighbour Bangladesh where they grow more than 50 varieties of fish.