Overall fish production grows by 19% during 2014-17

New Delhi: India has become the second largest fish producer in the world. Overall fish production has increased from 0.75 million tonne of 1950-51 to 11.41 million tonne in 2016-17. Besides, this sector provides employment and livelihood support to more than 15 million people of in the country. This was revealed by the Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Mr Radha Mohan Singh at the Aqua Goa Mega Fish Festival, 2017, organized at SAG Campal Ground, Panaji, Goa. Mr Vinod Palyekar, Minister for Fisheries, Government of Goa, was also present during this occasion.

The Agriculture Minister said that fisheries is a fast growing sector in India, which provides nutrition and food security to a large population of the country as well as providing income and employment to fishermen and fish farmers. Fisheries development in India is not only meeting the protein requirements of the country, but it is also making a significant contribution of about 6.2 percent in the fish production of the world.

The government of India has taken an important step on 9th March, 2017 by adding a new component under the Blue Revolution to promote tradition fishers in the Deep Sea Fishing. Under the said component, the Government of India is providing 50% financial assistance i.e., upto Rs 40 lakh to the traditional fishers, their self-help groups, societies and organizations in the acquisition of deep sea fishing vessels equipped with modern technology, which costs approximately, Rs 80 lakh per vessel.

Mr Singh further said that if we compare the fish production of three years viz, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17 with last three years i.e., 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14, it is observed that the overall fish production has achieved about 19 percent growth rate. Growth rate in marine fisheries was about 6.65 percent, whereas the growth rate of 26.07 percent has been achieved in inland fisheries in country. The Minister was pleased to inform that the country has earned more than 5.78 billion US dollars foreign exchange (i.e., Rs 37,871 crore) in 2016-17 through, exports of fish and fishery products.

The Agriculture Minister also informed that India is first in prawn production and it is the largest exporter of prawns in the world too. The average annual growth rate of fish and fish products in the world was 7.5% during the last decade, whereas India has attained first position with 14.8% average annual growth in the export of fish & fishery products.

Mr Singh said that foreseeing the vast resource, potential and possibilities in the fisheries sector, Prime Minister has called for a Blue Revolution. Accordingly, the Government has merged all the schemes of fisheries sector into an umbrella scheme of Blue Revolution: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries and approved with the outlay of Rs 3000 crores.

The Union Agriculture Minister said that Prime Minister of India has given a slogan of “Doubling the Farmer’s Income” with a vision to ensure overall development of the country. Blue Revolution is focusing to foster use of new and modern technology, training and capacity building of fishers and fish farmers, adoption of scientific advises and methods, species diversification and proper fish health management etc. The main aim of Government is to double the income of fishers and fish-farmers by 2022 through implementation of Blue Revolution”

On this occasion, the Mr Singh informed that the financial assistance for housing of fishermen has been increased from Rs 0.75 lakh to Rs 1.20 lakh in the General States and Rs 1.30 lakh for the North Eastern and the Hilly States under the Welfare Scheme for Fishermen. Fishermen Housing Scheme has been merged with the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) Scheme and its financial pattern and guidelines are making uniform.