Paradip: A cluster of export-oriented marine dry fish processing units would be set up here in Jagatsinghpur district to encourage prospective entrepreneurs.
Though such an idea had been floated back in 2012, officials of the state micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) department and the district industries centre (DIC) have made a fresh move to revive the project, it was learnt Thursday.
Fishermen in Paradip follow traditional methods, which are not hygienic, to process the C and D grade fish. This makes the product unsuitable for consumption even as locals have no option but to buy it.
However, the dry fish processors don’t make much profit from it. Use of modern technology for packaging can increase the value of the product that can be exported to other countries.
Interested entrepreneurs can also earn foreign currencies from this business, officials said.
More than 10 government officials including industries department director PK Jena, MSME deputy director SK Sahoo, assistant director Kushadhar Mahanta and DIC general manager NPC Behera Thursday visited the sites where the processing units would come up.
A meeting to validate a detailed project report was held at the conference hall of the Paradip municipality.
The officials called the prospective entrepreneurs and asked them to take the benefits of the proposal.
Responding to the plan for the Rs 10-crore project to be set up over five acres, 23 entrepreneurs applied for it. They would be part of Shoal Marine Dry Fish Cluster, a private limited company, which would execute the project in next two years, it was learnt.
While 70 per cent of the project cost would be borne by the Centre, the state’s share would be 10 per cent. Of the rest 20 per cent, the entrepreneurs would invest only 4 per cent and 16 per cent would come in shape of loans from banks, officials said.
The project would not only benefit entrepreneurs, many others can also get employment through it, they added.
They said apart from this industry, there are ample opportunities to set up other manufacturing units in the port town. The state government started a programme to set up import-oriented wood industries in Paradip, the officials said. PNN
