The Union Government is planning to set up a fisheries infrastructure development fund soon to give a boost to the sector as a part of the blue revolution project. It will be of immense help to individuals, entrepreneurs, consortia and other stake-holders, says E Ramesh Kumar, Joint Secretary (Fisheries) in the Union Ministry of Agriculture.

He was speaking at the inaugural of the National Fish Farmers’ Day being celebrated here on Monday and Tuesday by the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB).

Kumar said NABARD, scheduled banks and other government agencies would be involved in implementing the schemes and roughly ₹7,500 crore would be set apart for the fund. “Entrepreneurs and others in the fisheries sector can get finance at 6 per cent interest for infrastructure projects and the repayment period will be 12 years, with a moratorium of two years,” he explained.

He said a scheme to convert fishing trawlers into tuna long-liners to encourage deep-sea finishing was in the offing and “Andhra Pradesh, especially Visakhapatnam, could emerge as a major centre for tuna fishing”.

He said the target was to boost fish production to 15 million metric tonnes by 2021 from the present level of roughly 11.5 to 12 MMT. “There is still a lot of untapped potential in the inland fisheries sector,” he added.

He sounded a note of caution, referring to the use of antibiotics in fish and shrimp culture and how some of the shrimp consignments from Andhra Pradesh were rejected in western markets due to residue. A campaign should be undertaken to educate farmers and others in the sector on the harmful effects of antibiotics and chemicals in culture and preservation of fish, said Kumar. The presence of formalin in the fish in Chennai markets was worrying, he added.

AP Fisheries Commissioner Ram Shankar Naik said kisan credit cards were being issued to fish farmers, but insurance cover should also be provided to them under the Prime Minister’s Fasal Bima Yojana.

U Viswanadha Raju, the chairman of the Bhimavaram-based Ananda group, a leading shrimp exporter from Andhra Pradesh, said India ranked second in fish production but China, the number one, was way ahead and concerted efforts should be made by all stake-holders to catch up. He said a high-powered campaign, with advertisements in the media should be carried out against the use of chemicals in fish and shrimp culture.

I Rani Kumudini, CEO of NFDB, spoke about the activities of the board to promote fisheries. Eighteen distinguished persons in the sector, including fish and shrimp farmers, entrepreneurs and others, will be felicitated on Tuesday by the NFDB, she added. BK Chand and G Rathinaraj, Executive Directors of NFDB, also spoke.

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