Govt to boost India's marine exports
Government has decided to provide a big boost to marine products exports by expanding areas of production to include Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gujarat and Maharashtra and focus on items other than shrimp.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: Government has decided to provide a big boost to marine products exports by expanding areas of production to include Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Gujarat and Maharashtra and focus on items other than shrimp.
The Indian marine product exports have stagnated for the last 10 years due to prevalence of diseases in shrimp and the initiatives planned would not only address this issue but also expand the products which could find a ready market overseas.
Export of marine products stood at 1.85 billion dollars in 2006-07 and the target for the current year has been set at two billion dollars.
"At present, shrimp accounts for 55 per cent of the total marine exports and now we have decided to lay a greater focus on products like tuna, which can be reared in Andaman and Nicobar islands," Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh told reporters today.
For tackling the disease in shrimps, the government has launched a Rs 23 crore five-year plan to develop pathogen free brood stock, which would be made available to all hatcheries by 2009. This can only be done in Andaman and Nicobar islands and it has been decided to designate it as a bio-safety zone.
The government is also planning to expand salt water aqua culture to new areas in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Gujarat has one-third of the brackish water aqua culture potential in the country, of which only one per cent has been utilised.
In Maharashtra, where just two per cent of the potential has been realised, the government has planned a major initiative involving prawn.
The Indian marine product exports have stagnated for the last 10 years due to prevalence of diseases in shrimp and the initiatives planned would not only address this issue but also expand the products which could find a ready market overseas.
Export of marine products stood at 1.85 billion dollars in 2006-07 and the target for the current year has been set at two billion dollars.
"At present, shrimp accounts for 55 per cent of the total marine exports and now we have decided to lay a greater focus on products like tuna, which can be reared in Andaman and Nicobar islands," Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh told reporters today.
For tackling the disease in shrimps, the government has launched a Rs 23 crore five-year plan to develop pathogen free brood stock, which would be made available to all hatcheries by 2009. This can only be done in Andaman and Nicobar islands and it has been decided to designate it as a bio-safety zone.
The government is also planning to expand salt water aqua culture to new areas in Gujarat and Maharashtra. Gujarat has one-third of the brackish water aqua culture potential in the country, of which only one per cent has been utilised.
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In Maharashtra, where just two per cent of the potential has been realised, the government has planned a major initiative involving prawn.
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