Record growth of brackish water fish production, seafood export in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: The State has achieved 748 per cent (pc) growth in brackish water fish production and 203 pc in sea food exports in the last 10 years. While the production of brackish water fish increased from 11,460 tonne in 2011-12 to 97,125 tonne in 2020-21 recording a growth of 747.51 percent, the area under brackish water aquaculture went up from 5,860 hectare to 17,780 hectare during the same period. 

Similarly, seafood exports from Odisha increased from Rs 801 crore to Rs 3,107 crore during the same period in spite of the economic slowdown caused by Covid-19 in the last fiscal. The quantum of exports increased from 21,311 tonne in 2010-11 to 60,718 tonne in 2020-21, said Secretary of Fisheries and Animal Resource development R Raghu Prasad during a meeting to discuss issues relating to fish production and existing land leasing provisions for commercial brackish aquaculture in the State, chaired by Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra here on Friday.

Prasad informed that seafood from Odisha is in good demand in global markets particularly in Japan, China, the USA, countries in the European Union, South East Asia and Middle East. There is greater potential of brackish aquaculture in the State both on government and private land. The sector has the potential to attract more private investments, he added. 

Around 2,000 applications for brackish water aquaculture were submitted to different tehsils in five major coastal districts- Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri and Ganjam. These districts were asked to take quick decision on the proposals as per the existing provisions.