PressInformation Bureau
Govt. of India,Hyderabad
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The UnionGovernment allocated Rs. 22,000 Cr. for encouraging exports
Agencies foraquaculture and fisheries in coastal states will be set up soon - - Union minister for Commerce and Industry (Independentcharge): Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman
Visakhapatnam, 23rdSeptember, 2016
Union Commerceand Industry Minister Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman announced a raft of measures,including setting up of agencies for aquaculture and fisheries in all coastalstates. While delivering the inaugural address at the India InternationalSeafood Show (IISS) in Visakhapatnam today, she also announced exportincentives for marine products under Merchandise Exports from India Scheme(MEIS). Under the MEIS, the governmentcurrently allocates Rs 22,000 crore annually for exports. From this financialyear onwards, an additional Rs 1500 crore will be allocated under the schemethat will include certain marine and seafood items. The agencies foraquaculture and fisheries, under the guidance of the chief ministers andheaded by their chief secretaries, will be under the aegis of the MarineProducts Export Development Authority (MPEDA). The nodal body for marineexports will work under the Union ministry of Commerce and Industry.
Voicingconcern, she said that despite being a major producer, India’sseafood industry has a long way to go in fully tapping the potential for valueaddition. Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman said that she held discussions with tradeministers from Japan and South Korea recently and they have expressedinterest in collaborating with India for development of aquaculture. The unionminister hoped that the MPEDA would play a key role in bringing in the best practicesfrom around the globe to accelerate the growth of the seafood industry in thecountry. Speaking on the occasion the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Mr.Chandra Babu Naidu said that the state accounted for over 45 per cent of India’scultured shrimp exports during 2015-16.