Apex industry body Assocham on Tuesday suggested the West Bengal government integrate a comprehensive promotional plan in its policies to spur fish production and raise the compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of fish production in the state to about 7 percent from the current level of about 5 percent. Growing at compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about 5 percent, fish production in West Bengal may cross 2,000 metric tons mark by 2015 from the current level of about 1,800 metric tons, according to a comprehensive study on fisheries done by Assocham.
West Bengal is the largest fish producing state and accounts for about 20 per cent of the total fish production of over nine million tons in India, according to the study titled “Fisheries — A Prize Catch in Indian Export Basket,” released by Assocham. "With appropriate incentives coupled with robust investments in infrastructure, fish production in India can grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about seven per cent during the course of next four to five years from the current level of over 3.5 per cent CAGR," said D.S. Rawat, national secretary general of Assocham while releasing the chamber study.
"Similarly, proper storage, processing and marketing facilities together with well co-ordinated efforts for comprehensive development of fisheries sector and fishermen community would help increase fish production in West Bengal," said Rawat. Fish production in India might also cross 13 million metric tons mark by 2016, highlights the Assocham study.
"Indian marine waters are home to over 1,700 fish species including 200 commercially significant species, while the sector employs over 15 million people and fish eaters account for over half of India's total population," said Rawat. "India is the second largest source of aquaculture production in the world after China. Inland fisheries, reservoirs and freshwater aquaculture are the pillars of growth, besides, floodplain lakes and wetlands, irrigation canals, saline and waterlogged areas too contribute towards rising production."
About 67 percent of the total fish produced in India is consumed in the fresh form due to low demand for value added fish products and about six per cent is converted into fishmeal. Processed and dried fish account for 16 percent and 7 to 10 percent frozen while a very small portion of less than one per cent is canned. With less than a million tons exported, presently domestic demand for all types of fish (including fresh and processed) is about 7.5 metric ton currently and is likely to cross 10 metric ton mark by 2016, according to the Assocham study.
