The State has a target to increase its fish production to 20 lakh metric tonne per year by the year 2020 against the present consumption requirement of 4 lakh metric tonne.
Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Minister Pradeep Maharathy said this in the State Assembly in response to a question of Congress Member Tara Prasad Bahinipati and a host of other members on Wednesday.
“I clearly assured the House that the fish production will be doubled to 20 lakh metric tonne against the State’s need of four lakh metric tonne per year,” the Minister said.
He further informed that a total of 4,284 agriculture-based industries have been set up in State since 2000 and most of them are operational now.
He said the agro industries include 1,112 agro and related industries and 3,172 agro service centres. A total of Rs 131.76 crore has been spent for establishment of these units, he said.
Besides, he informed that the Government is planning to set up a State-level Haat in order to provide marketing support to farmers of interior regions so that crops and vegetables produced in those areas would not be transported to outside for selling.
The Minister added that as many as 1,443 entrepreneurs have applied to the department to set up agro-based industries. In view of this, the Government would consider setting up an Agro Skill Development Centre in the State, he said.