Foundation stone was laid for a glucosamine plant, being set up by the Kerala State Cooperative Federation for Fisheries Development (Matsyafed), at Paravur, near Ambalapuzha, here on Tuesday.
Fisheries Minister S. Sarma laid the foundation stone for the Rs.6 crore project. Coir and Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran presided over the function.
The factory will manufacture value-added products from fresh marine prawn shells, particularly glucosamine, an internationally-accepted drug for arthritis.
The Matsyafed is also planning to shortly open three factories for manufacturing chitin, a raw material required for manufacturing glucosamine. The Central Institute for Fisheries Technology (CIFT) will provide technical support for the Paravur factory. Of the total cost for setting up the factory, Rs.2.38 crore will be provided by the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.
Matsyafed chairman V.V. Saseendran and managing director P. Kesavan Nair also spoke.