Fisheries department today sought contribution from private players to meet the projected annual demand of 20 lakh metric tonnes of fish by 2019-20. The current annual demand of close to 17.8 lakh metric tonnes is set to reach 20 lakh metric tonnes by 2019-20, Department of Fisheries Secretary Dr Ravi Inder Singh said at a discussion on ‘Agri-business opportunities in West Bengal’ organised by Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce & Industry. “This is an area where private players can come in as well as the fishermen’s cooperatives and fisheries. Government is ready to cooperate,” Singh said. He said that a fishery hub is already in place at Moyna where the yield is much more than average. “We wish there could be more such projects,” he said. He said last year more than 1 lakh metric tonnes fish was exported and expressed hope that the export potential of 3 lakh MT can be achieved. While India is the second largest vegetable producer in the world, West Bengal is the second largest vegetable producer, Secretary, Food Processing, Industries and Horticulure, Nandini Chakravorty said in her address. “We have prepared an agri-horticulture blueprint for state where we have identified the gaps in infrastructure and in this sector, we invite private partnership, private investments on their own,” she said.
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