State plans to market, export fish with private partners

Fish production up by 77% in four years, says Minister

The State government is examining procurement, marketing and export of fish with private participation, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries T. Srinivas Yadav has said. At a meeting with officials held here on Saturday on the emerging scenario of fish production, he stated that distribution of free fish seedlings every year, under which seedlings are being released into all major water bodies, had boosted fish production considerably — from 1.97 lakh tonnes production in 2016-17 to 3.49 lakh tonnes in 2020-21, registering over 77% growth in just four years, he explained. Of the total fish produced in the State, 60% was being consumed within the State, 21% was being supplied to West Bengal and the remaining 19% to Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and other States. However, the fishermen were losing out on income by selling their catch to middlemen at lower prices against the Chief Minster’s objective to empower the community socially and financially, the Minister said.