| Date: |
17-12-2014 |
| Subject: |
Odisha seeks to increase seafood export to Portugal |
|
Odisha's Government proposes to boost seafood exports from this market to Portugal, given that this nation is one of those having the highest worldwide's per capita consumption of marine food.
To achieve this end, at a meeting with state officials Indian ambassador in Portugal Jitendra Nath Mishra proposed sending a business delegation to the European nation in March 2015, the Business Standard reported.
The proposed delegation would be led by Secretary of fisheries department GC Pati and would comprise seafood exporters, representatives of tourism sector, textile, and food processing sectors.
Also present at the meeting, representatives of Sea Food Exporters' Association of India (SEAI) proposed separate branding of Odisha's products.
The Association’s president Gora Chand Mohanty informed seafood exports from Odisha amounted to INR 18,170 million (USD 289.9 million) in the latest fiscal year with an annual growth rate of 30 per cent.
The official also explained that marine products from Odisha have been in great demand due to the fact that antibiotics are not used and the products do not contain any antibiotic residue.
The SEAI president also reported that thirty one seafood processing units are exporting seafood products, of which 11 units have been approved by European Union (EU).
Odisha has fresh water area of 673,000 hectares and brackish water area of 418,000 ha along with 480 km of coastal line. With this natural resource, the state has production potential of 650,000 tonnes of fisheries products per year.
During 2013-14, India’s total export of marine and seafood products generated INR 302,133 million (USD 4820 million), and 22 per cent of shipments was sent to the European Union (EU). Odisha's exports to the EU market represented INR 2,500 million (USD 39.9 million).
Source : fis.com
|