Bhubaneswar: Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Resources Development Minister Arun Sahoo Friday asked the officials concerned to focus on enhancing fish exports to Rs 20,000 crore in next five years and implement the 5T and Mo Sarkar initiatives in the department.
Sahoo was chairing a review meeting of Fisheries department at Krushi Bhawan here, sources said. The minister also said that the Fisheries department should focus on raising fish production in the state and doubling the income of fish farmers.
More than 15 lakh people In Odisha are working directly and indirectly in the fisheries sector and the sector witnessed 57 per cent growth in last five years. Twenty years ago, fish production in Odisha was 2.6 lakh tonne, but now it has reached 8.16 lakh tonne, said sources in the Fisheries department.
At present, Odisha holds the fourth rank in fish production in the country. The fish consumption per person has risen to 16.64 kg from 7.71 kg in Odisha in last 20 years.
Now, Odisha is exporting fisheries products worth Rs 3,243 crore annually, sources added. The minister suggested that the officials should give priority on fish sperm production in state.
Besides, steps should be taken for the development of fish sperm production centres. He also directed the officials to use more biofloc technology for fish production.
Moreover, steps should be taken to facilitate more people availing benefits of entrepreneurship scheme in the fisheries sector, said the minister. “In order to raise fish export from state, we must focus on improving the skills of the fish farmers,” Sahoo added.
PNN
