Food & Beverage News: Top Stories - Value addition is a must for Indian marine products

Countries source raw marine products from India only to value add them and sell them as ready – to - eat or finished products in the market.

Fish like Tuna, Katla, Rohu are picked up from India to convert them into ready-to-eat exotics like Coconut Battered shrimps, Breaded and Battered Fish Fingers and Stuffed Squids.

Though Mpeda (Marine Products Exports Development Authority) has been consistent in its effort towards upgrading the traditional fish industry in the country and promoting the varieties that India produces in the foreign market, the journey seems long and challenging.

The problems are encountered right from the preliminary activity of fishing where the fresh catches are forced to be dumped as waste due to lack of technology like the chill rooms, ice facilities, mechanisation of boats, and storage capacities at the harbour. However, Gibin Kumar, assistant director, Mpeda, agreed that from the point the private manufacturers take over the charge of the raw produce, the infrastructure provided is at a satisfactory level.

Mpeda has taken up schemes like upgradation of harbours, (equipping the landing area, availability of ice, facility of chill rooms) to provide the required technical support to the fishermen.

Sassoon Doc and Kasara Bandar might soon receive the benefits of the said scheme with an investment of around Rs 200 crore, if approved by the local authorities.

TUSMP (Technology Upgradation Scheme for Marine Products) is the next scheme in line for Mpeda focused on marine product exporters. The registered exporters are extended a capital subsidy of around one crore and interest subsidy of Rs 1.5 crore to those who intend to upgrade technology. Currently India imports technology from countries like Denmark, Sweden and Germany.

Tuna Longlining is another scheme that gives a benefit of Rs 15 lakh subsidy to the farmers in order to convert their traditional fishing method to a modern one.

Tuna Longlining is a passive type of fishing technique making use of lines with baited hooks as fishing gear.