Plan to raise per capita fish consumption to 24 kg in Andhra by 2024-25

According to officials, development of marine infrastructure through construction of fish landing centres is being promoted, besides deep sea fisheries, open sea cage culture and sea weed culture.

' Fisherwomen placing the days' catch in the fish at Fishing Harbour in Visakhapatnam on Friday

VIJAYAWADA: In a bid to ensure an increase in the income levels of aqua farmers and at the same time supply fresh seafood to consumers, the State government has set itself a target to improve the present domestic per capita consumption of fish and other seafood from the present 8.07 kg to 24 kg by 2024-25. 

For the purpose, it has proposed to utilise 30% of the fish production of the State. As many as 26 aqua hubs and thousands of retail outlets will be set up in the State as part of the plan. To avoid distress sale of aqua produce, the government is providing support to entrepreneurs to set up 10 processing and 23 pre-processing units in the State with a project cost of Rs 546.91 crore. 

According to officials, development of marine infrastructure through construction of fish landing centres is being promoted, besides deep-sea fisheries, open sea cage culture and seaweed culture. Most importantly, aqua zonation for area expansion and promotion of innovative technologies like nursery management, innovative technologies like RAS and Biofloc technologies, stocking advanced fish seed fingerlings in all potential inland water bodies are expected to help improve aqua culture fortunes in the State. 

As per the statistics with the government in 2022-23, Andhra Pradesh produced 37.18 lakh tonnes of fish and prawn by December 2022 against the target of 52.53 lakh tonnes. 

The State government, which enacted different Acts for promotion of aquaculture like the AP State Aquaculture Development Authority Act, AP Fish Feed (Quality Control) (Amendment) Act 2020, AP Fisheries University Act, 2020, has come up with different schemes like diesel oil subsidy, relief to marine fisher during the annual ban and fisheries scheme.

Under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, the Centre had sanctioned 19 projects with a total project cost of Rs 503.77 crore in 2021-22. 

Of the total, the Centre’s share is Rs 168.27 crore and Rs 115.84 crore being the State’s share while beneficiary contribution will be Rs 219.55 crore. These projects are being grounded.  Similarly, the Centre had sanctioned 18 projects with a total project cost of Rs 1,346.66 crore under Matsya Sampada Yojana in 2022-23. However, the Centre is yet to release the funds for the implementation of projects, an official said.