Hyderabad, October 2 : Fish production in India is set to cross 13 million tonnes (MT) mark by 2016 from the current level of over nine million tonnes, according to a comprehensive study on fisheries brought out by apex industry body ASSOCHAM, The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India.
With appropriate incentives coupled with robust investments in infrastructure, fish production in India can grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of about seven per cent during the course of next four-five years from the current level of over 3.5 per cent CAGR, according to the study titled ‘Fisheries – A Prize Catch in Indian Export Basket,’ that was jointly released by R Sannareddy, chairman of ASSOCHAM Southern Regional Council along with national secretary general, DS Rawat.
“Indian marine waters are home to over 1,700 fish species including 200 commercially significant species, while the sector employs over 15 million people and fish eaters account for over half of India’s total population,” said Sannareddy.
“India is the second largest source of aquaculture production in the world after China. Inland fisheries, reservoirs and freshwater aquaculture are the pillars of growth, besides, floodplain lakes and wetlands, irrigation canals, saline and waterlogged areas too contribute towards rising production,” said Rawat.
About 67 per cent of the total fish produced in India is consumed in the fresh form due to low demand for value added fish products and about six per cent is converted into fishmeal. Processed and dried fish account for 16 per cent and seven to ten per cent frozen while a very small portion of less than one per cent is canned. With less than a million tonnes exported, presently domestic demand for all types of fish (including fresh and processed) is about 7.5 MT currently and is likely to cross 10 MT mark by 2016.
Clocking about 11.48 per cent CAGR during 2004-2010, Karnataka has emerged as the leading coastal state with highest growth of fish production in India according to a recent independent research and analysis of ASSOCHAM. With over 300 kilometer long coastline and six lakh hectares of inland waters and eight lakh fisher folk, Karnataka produces about five lakh tonnes of fish annually and accounts for over six per cent of total fish production in India.
Amid leading coastal states in India, Andhra Pradesh ranks second in terms of growth in fish production with a CAGR of about eight per cent and with over 13.5 lakh tonnes of fish production annually, the state accounts for over 16 per cent of country’s total fish production. West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Odisha are certain other leading fish producing states in India which recorded fish production growth rate between three and five per cent between 2004-2010, according to ASSOCHAM.
Export demand is placed at eight to ten per cent of the total fish production in India. Besides, in the value terms, India’s total fisheries exports are about $3 billion and are expected to reach about $4.7 billion by 2014. While, the global fish trade is estimated at $138 billion with China, Norway and Thailand occupying the top three slots, according to the ASSOCHAM study.
By the end of this year, the global fish production is likely to reach 157.3 MT, comprising 90 MT of capture fisheries and the balance by aquaculture. Besides, about 85 per cent of total fish production is used as food with the balance 15 per cent utilised in feed and other purposes.
Globally India’s share in fisheries production is about five per cent and marine/inland fishery exports account for a meagre two per cent of the global trade in this sector, highlights the ASSOCHAM study.
ASSOCHAM has suggested formation of a dedicated Ministry of Fisheries to deal with the major stumbling blocks in fisheries sector – multiple agencies, sluggish infrastructure and poor productivity resulting in poverty and backwardness. It has also called for a single window system for fisheries and aquaculture in inland fisheries to work towards proper networking and consolidation to strengthen support to the sector thereby keeping a close look at the working of various agencies involved in inland and fisheries.
Besides other measures, the ASSOCHAM has recommended that public private partnership (PPP) be encouraged and the plan assistance for the sector be channeled through PPP mode. Besides, financial institutions should be encouraged to extend credit facilities for expansion and modernization of fisheries’ processing sector through Ministry of Food Processing Industry (MOFPI) for speedy achievement of growth targets.
- INN
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