Odisha State, located on India's east coast, has recorded a 17 percent increase in seafood exports for 2016-17 fiscal year.
In the past year, the state exported 41,828 tons of seafood, as compared to 35,630 tons exported during the 2015-16 fiscal year. The value of Odisha’s exports increased to INR 22.05 billion (USD 340 million, EUR 287.8 million), recording a growth of 23 percent against the same period last year. Total seafood production in Odisha was up by 18 percent to 614,000 tons.
The figures were released by Indian Fisheries and Animal Resource Department Chief Secretary AP Padhi in a meeting reviewing the state’s seafood production. At the meeting, Padhi said the state’s 480-kilometer-long coastline, with a 24,000-square-kilometer area within the continental shelf, has ample potential for marine fisheries development.
“There is huge opportunity globally in seafood sector and Odisha can play a dominant role in catering to these markets,” Padhi said.
Padhi said that in order to increase seafood exports, the state needs to set up more hatcheries and other infrastructure that will help increase seafood production. Padhi also said that the government will provide modern facilities at the landing harbors and set up facilities, including auctioning and trading activities, similar to its successful project in the port of Dhamara.
In 2001, Odisha's seafood exports were valued at INR 3.79 billion (USD 59 million, EUR 49 million), but that figure has grown by 450 percent through 2016-17.
Out of the 614,000-ton production total, inland fish production was around 393,730 tons, brackish water production was 67,359 tons, and marine fish production was around 153,102 tons. According to Padhi’s estimate, the state has 676,000 hectares of freshwater resources, comprising 125,000 hectares of tanks and ponds, 200,000 hectares of reservoirs, 180,000 hectares of lakes, swamps, and flood ponds (bheels), and 171,000 hectares of rivers and canals.
