Odisha needs an average of 1,068 metric tonne (MT) of fish for its daily consumption and imports 101 MT from outside the State to meet the demand. Fisheries and Animal Resources Minister Pradeep Maharathy informed this in the State Assembly in response to a question of member Aswini Kumar Patra on Wednesday.
The Minister, however, informed that state produces an average of 1,283 metric tonne fish per day out of which 316 metric tonne is imported to outside the State.
The State Government has introduced Odisha Fish Policy-2015 in an aim to become self-reliant and to double the fish product in five years. Fish farmers are being provided subsidies under various State and Central schemes, the Minister said. Farmers are being given 50 per cent subsidy up to maximum of `8.50 per a hectare of fresh water fish cultivation u nder the Neela Kranti Yojana and Rashtriya Krushi Vikash Yonja.
The Minister further informed that various supports under the NFDB and MGNREGS schemes and loans at lowest rate of three per cent are being provided to farmers under the Fish Policy.