The Central government wants to make Andhra Pradesh the shrimp capital of the country, Union Secretary for Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries Devendra Chaudhary has said. Mr. Chaudhary, who spent three days participating in various programmes organised by the departments of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, told The Hindu that A.P. was excelling in fisheries, but there was a need for it to be taken to the next level. It should set a target to increase productivity from the current 23 lakh tonnes per annum to 42 lakh tonnes by 2019-20. We want to make A.P. the shrimp capital of India. A target has been set to increase the current production of Rs. 33,000 crore to Rs. 1 lakh crore by 2019-20. Control of diseases by following strict protocols and developing brood stock are required. The government has a plan of spending Rs. 12,000 crore for the development of the shrimp industry in the country, he said. He said that there was a tremendous scope for States like Andhra Pradesh and Odisha with long coast lines to go for deep sea fishing. Even in deep sea fishing, the focus should be tuna. A.P. has experienced fishermen. Bigger boats needed for deep sea fishing and mother boats needed for the preservation of tuna as soon as it was harvested were needed. Fisheries cooperatives could be given loans by Nabard and other financial agencies for this, Mr. Chaudhary said. AP aqua farmers should learn from their counterparts in Jharkhand that were doing exceedingly well in cage cultivation. Production could be increased 2,000 times using the method, he said. A.P. was among the four States that were declared Foot and Mouth Disease-free and it should take maximum advantage of lift of ban on export of dairy products. To begin with, it should send a delegation to Russia that was experiencing a shortage of dairy products, said Mr. Chaudhary.
2016, The Hindu