The Hindu Business Line : Marine products event to evolve growth strategies

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is organising Indaqua during January 11-13 at the Chennai Trade Centre complex to evolve suitable strategies for the growth of the sector in the country, according to its Chairman, Mr G. Mohan Kumar. Briefing newspersons here, he said such an event had been organised twice earlier - once in 1993 and then in 1995 - and after a long gap of 11 years, the event would be conducted again.

"After the last Indaqua, there was a serious problem of disease afflicting shrimp in Andhra Pradesh and now that problem has been surmounted to a great extent with the adoption of better farming practices and technologies. The problem persists, but it is now manageable," he explained.

He said four crucial issues would have to be addressed to develop the aquaculture sector - the commercial exploitation of tuna resources, the expansion and diversification of aquaculture, value-addition, and promoting India as a seafood-exporting hub.

These issues would be addressed at the deliberations during Indaqua.

Referring to tuna exploitation, he said the existing vessels would have to modified and upgraded with long lines to catch tuna and the MPEDA would give assistance to the extent of Rs 15 lakh per vessel. "Here in Visakhapatnam, six vessels have been converted, but they are facing problems, as there is no international airport here to export the fish.

But in future that problem will be solved. Even now, if there is enough catch, it can be exported in chartered flights or it can be exported through Chennai," he suggested.

On value addition, he said there was a long way to go. "Presently, the value addition is of the order of 5-10 per cent. But we have to take it up to 75 per cent. It requires large investments from the Government as well as the private sector. It is absolutely necessary to meet our export target of $4 billion by the end of the Eleventh Plan and $6 billion by the end of the Twelfth Plan," he said.

In reply to a question, he said last year (2005-2006), marine products exports amounted to Rs 7,200 crore and the growth rate in the recent past was roughly 10 per cent per annum

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