KOCHI: India’s revenue from marine product exports has crossed Rs 50,000 crore in 2021-22 and the country has set a target to achieve Rs 1 lakh crore export income in five years, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said here on Monday.
The minister, who held an interactive session with seafood exporters and traditional fishermen at the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), said the government will empower fishermen to expand fishing activity to India’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) which extends to 200 nautical miles from the coast.
Taliking to media later, he said the government will soon unveil a six-point programme to support the fishing sector by promoting sustainable practices, improving the quality of fishing, increasing the variety of species, promoting aquaculture and supporting fishing ecosystem by promoting deep-sea fishing.
The minister said India is in the process of entering into free trade agreements with various countries which will help improve exports. The country has finalised free trade agreements with the UAE and Australia while negotiations are on with the UK and Canada. On June 17, India will start formal negotiations with the European Union in this regard. He said the government is taking steps to provide market access and open new avenues for the country’s exporters.
The minister also held discussions with stakeholders in the rubber and spices sector. I had a very fruitful discussion with farmers and processors who are exporting 52 varieties of spices. I have received a lot of good ideas and understood that there is great potential for development of Kochi,” he said.
The minister inaugurated Amrit Tower, a 13-floor standard design factory building with a built-up area of 1 lakh square feet in the Cochin Special Economic zone. The building has been constructed at an expense of Rs 66 crore to create an ecosystem for budding entrepreneurs in the emerging technology sector. He also inaugurated a zero liquid discharge common effluent treatment plant with the capacity to process one million litres of water per day. The plant has been set up at a cost expense of Rs 23.5 crore and will stop discharge of treated effluents outside the CSEZ. The water will be reused for industrial purpose.