Bhubaneswar: As per survey conducted in 2013, Odisha has doubled the farmers’ real income during the last decade through high value commercial activities in fishery and animal resource development (F&ARD) sectors as revealed from the survey conducted in 2013.
Presiding over a review meeting on the progress on agenda of actions to achieve sea food export of worth Rs 20,000 crore in the next five years at the State Secretariat here today, chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi asked the concerned department to build the fishery infrastructure in such a manner that it generates more employment opportunities.
Present at the meeting, F&RAD secretary Bishnupada Sethi informed that the state achieved the highest growth rate in the country in fish production during the year 2015-16. The growth rate was 11.10% in 2015-16. The total fish production during the year was 521278 metric tonne against that of 469548 metric tonne produced during 2014-15. On the other hand, export of fish and fishery product during the year went up to 35,630 metric tonne with a total value of around Rs 1788 crore.
Available data shows that the total fish production in Odisha has grown consistently over last four years due to various innovative interventions, financial and technical supports to fish farmers. In the 2012-13, the total fish production was 410144 metric tonne which went up to 413889 metric tonne in 2013-14, 469548 metric tonne in 2014-15 and 521278 metric tonne in 2015-16.
At present, nearly 34 sea food exporters are operating in Odisha. There are 22 manufacturers and 12 merchants. Odisha’s sea food finds its major market in Eastern Europe, Japan, China, Middle East and south eastern Asian countries.
It is expected that with the completion of road and power connectivity to the aqua culture clusters the production cost in the state would be more competitive and would fetch more income to the fish farmers.
The F&ARD secretary spoke about the urgent need for developing infrastructure to 19 priority aquaculture clusters.
Taking stock of the works done till date, the chief secretary directed the executing agencies to expedite the power supply work to these clusters and complete those in various phases from December 2016 to March, 2017.
It may be mentioned that 107 brackish aquaculture clusters have been identified in various places of the state mostly along the continental shelf of which 19 clusters have been taken up in first phase on priority basis.
The chief secretary directed to prepare a timeline for electrification of balance 88 clusters and complete the work within March, 2018.
It was also decided to develop 468 kms of fish export related road infrastructure in the area. The Forest department was directed to expedite the process of the issue of the certificates required for these linear projects of road and power connectivity.