Government aims to achieve 8 per cent annual growth in the fishery sector in the next five years by tapping potential in marine and inland fishery, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today.
"The average growth rate for last two years was six per cent. We will take fishery sector growth to 8 per cent annually in the next five years," Singh said at an event that commemorated the World's Fisheries Day here.
There is an untapped potential in marine and inland fishery to an extent of 20 million tonnes and all existing schemes are clubbed to achieve blue revolution, he said.
At present, the country's fish production is at over 10 million tonnes, including 3.5 million tonnes of marine and 6.57 million tonnes of inland fishery. India is the second largest producer after China.
Fishery sector had grown at 5.2 per cent in 2014-15 and over 9 per cent last year.
Singh said that while the government's aim is to double farmers income by 2022, but this cannot be achieved by focusing on food crops by raising support price. "The need of the hour is to encourage farmers to take up allied farm activities like fishery, poultry and dairy to increase income."
The government's efforts so far has been to provide support to farmers under various schemes to take up fish farming to supplement their income, he said, adding that subsidies are being provided for setting up ponds for fish farming, establish fish markets and mobile vans.
Taking benefits from the government's scheme Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), an ornamental fish grower Sarfraj Khan from Madhya Pradesh said: "I have taken loan thrice up to Rs 15 lakh and got subsidy benefit under the RKVY scheme. This has helped me to scale up by business".
"I was a shopkeeper and started as a fish farmer in 2009. Now, I have 13,200 square feet of water bodies and 53 cemented water tanks in which I grow ornamental fish and supply in the state and also send to Mumbai," he told PTI on the sidelines of an event.
Khan, however, said that besides subsidy, necessary market to sell ornamental fish at right price and good doctors to advise fish growers are also required.
"It is difficult to get trained labour for handling ornamental fishes. Even there are not good doctors with practical knowledge to advise new farmers. Most of them have theoretical knowledge," Khan said and suggested that the government should make it mandatory for those studying fishery to do internship at ground level.
Highlighting benefits of fish farming, the Minister said that it has three benefits. "Firstly, it increases farmers income. Secondly, there will be progress in the country's export and GDP. Thirdly, it will ensure nutritional and food security in the country."
Since agriculture is a state subject, he urged the state governments to give priority to this sector and implement the schemes successfully.
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