MPEDA plans to set up two marine SEZs
| Addressing a press conference here, Chairman G Mohan Kumar said the zones would be free to import fish for re-exporting. |
| "Joint ventures (JVs) with foreign companies will be encouraged as consolidation is common in the seafood industry globally. The authorities have identified sectors such as cage farming of fishes for promoting JVs as a number of overseas firms have shown interest in this sector," he said. |
| The chairman further said tuna exports would be given priority as demand from countries such as Japan and EU for the variety was increasing. Indian ocean, especially deep sea near Andaman Islands has abundance of tuna and the export industry is gearing up to tap the potential. |
| MPEDA has already modelled two long vessels to catch tuna, demonstrations for which have been going on at various fishing centres. A plan is also prepared to build 1,000 exclusive tuna vessels and will be implemented soon. |
| Although the Indian seafood industry suffered serious setback on the exports front during the April-December period of 2007, tuna exports increased by 44.3 per cent in volume and 53.1 per cent in value. |
| "Due to the efforts made by MPEDA, the exports of tuna has got a big boost with more and more processors exporting it in value-added forms. EU and South East Asian countries have started buying tuna in large quantities from India," Kumar said. |
| According to a vision document drafted by the authorities, exploitation of tuna resources, value-addition and diversification of aquaculture species will be given prime importance in the coming years. Permission to farm Vannamei species of shrimp will be granted very soon as preparations are in the final stage. |
| Answering a query, Kumar said there was a serious drop in the catch from the sea during the last two years and the factors affecting the drop were yet to be figured out. |
| Global seafood show from January 8 The stage is set for the biennial India International Seafood Show- 2008 (IISS-2008). The event is being jointly organised by MPEDA, ministry of commerce and industry and Seafood Exporters Association of India. |
| The three-day event will start on January 8. According to G Mohankumar, chairman, MPEDA, 600 delegates, of which 60 from abroad, would participate in the show. Jairam Ramesh, minister of state for commerce, will inaugurate the show at Hotel Le Meridien, in Kochi. |