Accepting a proposal of the State Government, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to set up cold storage facilities at the Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) here to boost export of perishable commodities.
Chief Secretary AP Padhi had recently written to the Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey for establishment of air cargo facilities at the BPIA to facilitate export of fresh, live and chilled fishery items to different foreign markets.
It was pointed out that Odisha is a leading producer and contributor to the seafood export basket of the country. Out of 4.67 lakh metric tonne (lMT) of fish produced in 2014-15, the State exported 34,767 lMT valuing Rs2,070 crore, which is higher by 12.26 per cent in volume and 14 per cent in value compared to 2013-14.
Of the total seafood export, 97.79 per cent is contributed by frozen shrimp and 1.72 per cent by frozen fish and rest 0.49 per cent is other products including chilled items. Major markets for Odisha seafood are South East Asia, USA, European Union and Japan.
The State has recently notified an ambitious Fisheries Policy, which is first of its kind in the country, focusing mainly to double the fish production and increase exports to five fold in the coming four years.
Fisheries and Animal Resource Development Secretary Bishnupada Sethi had held discussions with the Union Secretary for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries (ADE) Devendra Chaudhry in New Delhi regarding establishment of air cargo handling facilities and creating necessary infrastructure at the BPIA.
Marine exporters in Odisha are exporting seafood products of more than Rs2,000 crore annually. In 2014-15, Odisha had exported 34,767 tonnes of marine products. With airlift facilities, export of such products from the State will get a big boost, according to experts.