MPEDA submits marine export action plan for Orissa

Bhubaneswar, June 20 (UNI) The Centre has set an ambitious target to increase marine product exports from Rs 350 crore to Rs 1000 crore over the next five years with the implementation of an action plan prepared by the Marine Pproducts Export Development Authority (MPEDA).

Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jairam Ramesh said his Ministry was prepared to extend all support to the state to raise its marine export.

Stating this at a news conference here, the Minister said Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka have been very aggressive in the export of marine products adding that the action plan prepared by the MPEDA Orissa would open a new chapter in the export field.

He said the plan envisaged shrimp and prawn cultivation over 20,000 hectares of land providing employment opportunities to nearly two lakh people in the state.

Mr Ramesh said as per the action plan handed over to the state government yesterday, while 10,000 hectares would be developed for shrimp production, another 10,000 hectares would be brought under prawn cultivation in Bhadrak and Balasore districts.

Mr Ramesh said the Quality Control Laboratory inaugurated by him here today at a cost of Rs two crore would help in a big way for a jump in the export of marine products from the state.

He said his Ministry will take a decision soon to set up a cold storage at an estimated cost of Rs 5.2 crore and asked the small and marginal farmers to take advantage of the cold storage facility.

The Union Minister said he had a discussion with the Director of Airport Authority for establishing a cold storage at the Bhubaneswar Airport for agriculture and horticulture products.

UNI