ICAR-CIFT hold awareness on sustainable business opportunities in fisheries value addition sector

Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR-CIFT), Visakhapatnam Research Centre and Fisheries Incubation Centre of ICAR-CIFT in association with ZTM-ABI of ICAR-CIFT organized an awareness programme on

‘Sustainable Business Opportunities in the Fisheries Value Addition Sector’ here on Friday to sensitize the stakeholders on the technologies available for value addition of seafood, fish waste utilization and seaweed products and business promotion activities.

Nearly 100 participants, including fishermen, seafood processing units, entrepreneurs, start-ups, farmers, SHG members, NGOs, students, skill development centres, representatives from State Fisheries Department, FSI, CIFNET, NIFPHATT, have attended the awareness programme.

Shri G. Pawan Kumar,

National President, Seafood Exporters Association of India G. Pawan Kumar inaugurated the awareness programme and urged entrepreneurs that ‘sky is the limit for value addition in fisheries sector.’ He stated that high end value-addition training programmes are the need of the hour for supervisors, mid level managers of the seafood processing units to upskill so as to compete in the global market. In this busy world and high standard of living, he emphasized on the ample opportunities and high scope of ready- to-eat (RTE) and ready-to-cook (RTC) products at global trade is possible and requested ICAR-CIFT to provide skill development programmes for RTE and RTC fish products.

Dr. B Madhusudana Rao, Scientist-in Charge, ICAR-CIFT, Visakhapatnam Research Centre in his presidential address highlighted the importance of value addition for better value realization per fish, both for the domestic and export markets. He outlined the role of Fisheries Incubation Centre (FIC) of ICAR-CIFT which was established under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), to serve as a dedicated platform to promote innovation, accelerate entrepreneurship and enterprise development in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

Earlier, Pawan Kumar released booklets on “Value addition and product diversification of Nile tilapia” and ‘Functional and high value products from seaweed” authored by ICAR-CIFT scientists. Earlier Dr Viji, P., Senior Scientist welcomed the gathering and later Dr Jesmi Debbarma proposed the vote of thanks.