The National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) has set an ambitious target of achieving an additional one million tonnes of fish consumption per annum in the country by stepping up sales through mobile fishing vending vehicles. It plans to provide one lakh vehicles to fishermen and fisherwomen across the country for fast fish delivery.
Presently, transport is one of the weak links in the supply chain and a major cause for the 30 per cent loss suffered in fish transportation. To address the problem, the NFDB has pressed into service mobile fishing vending vehicles – both four-wheelers and two-wheelers. In Chennai and Kolkata, 20 mobile vans each have been commissioned and four in Hyderabad. This apart, 4,000 motorcycles with attached ice boxes have been provided throughout the country.
No rocket science, just simple interventions are showing good results. The losses are gradually on the wane and the fish consumption is looking up. Figures indicate that the mobile vendors are now able to sell an extra 35 kg fish a day – in more hygienic and better condition. Presently, the per capita consumption of fish in India is 10 kg per annum. This is very low, but officials say it is much more than poultry.
With 9.51 million tonnes production, India is the second big fish producing country in the world after China. The NFDB has drawn an action plan to utilise the largely untapped potential in fisheries and aquaculture. To boost the fish sales, 250 model fish markets have been set up across the country, with focus on hygiene and ambience. Awareness among people is also being created about fish being an excellent health pack. For this, the NFDB is using FM radio and through a toll free number 1800 4251 660.
The recently set up National Fish Brood Bank at Bhubaneswar is producing genetically improved quality fish seed. Already14 States are availing the facility. “We plan to produce 100 crore quality seed and achieve an additional 30 per cent fish production in the country,” says M.V. Rao, chief executive, NFDB.
He said a number of plans are being implemented to harness the immense potential that the 8,000-km long coastline provided. The stress is on effective utilisation of water resources to promote rural livelihoods. Setting up of cages and rearing ponds at large and medium reservoirs are being encouraged. As many as 410 cages were set up in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Maharashtra. There was also a good potential in Telangana, Dr. Rao said.
