Bhubaneswar, Apr 6 : Odisha has exported 86481 metric tonnes of sea-food worth Rs. 4526 crores during 2021-22,State Agriculture, FE, Fisheries minister Ranendra Pratap Swain said.
Inaugurating a workshop on Odisha Seafood export here on Thursday , Swain said keeping the potential and resources in terms of coastline and brackish water area, there is a huge scope for seafood export from Odisha .
He said Odisha has a huge potential to augment exports of sea-food and the State Government is eying many-fold growth in seafood export in future.
Swain said there has been a 12 fold increase in sea-food export in the last 20 years and Odisha occupies fourth place in the country in terms of aquaculture production.
Odisha produces 10.60 Lakh metric ton of fish annually and contributes around 2.7 percent of the State GSVA.
There is a fourfold increase in total fish production in the last one decade, the Minister said while focusing on value addition of seafood as it will fetch a good market in western countries.
He also advised chilled seafood exports by Air to nearby markets like the Middle East, West Asia and East Asia.
Swain further emphasized on deep sea fishing along the Odisha coast and to go for high value fishes like Tuna and assured all support to the seafood industries in terms of policy intervention and ease of doing business.
Speaking on the occasion, Balasore MLA Swarup Kumar Das urged for a roadmap to achieve the targeted export value.
Principal Secretary, Fisheries and ARD Department Suresh Kumar Vashishth said the State Government is giving priority in developing new infrastructure in Fishing Harbours and Fish Landing Centre.
