September 28, 2007
 
India's MPEDA to drive aquaculture efforts
 

India's Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is intensifying efforts to foster aquaculture technologies on export-oriented species.

The objectives are to create more employment in the rural sector in farm management, hatchery production of seeds, feedmills, pre-processing, export processing and marketing sectors while generating over a US$1 billion worth of foreign revenue for the country.

Official sources told Business Line that export-oriented aquaculture remains focused on just two varieties of shellfishes, namely marine shrimp and freshwater prawn (scampi).

Their contribution in the total production of 2.5 million tonnes is only 200,000 tonnes, which is around 9.5 percent.

The rest of the production comprises of freshwater fishes, which are consumed locally without much value-added.