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Kochi, Oct 11 (IANS) ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has unveiled an ambitious plan to increase India’s mariculture production to 2.5 million tonnes by 2047.
This is a huge jump from the current production of about 1.5 lakh tonnes.
The initiative aims to meet the country’s growing seafood demand and reduce pressure on traditional fisheries.
Announcing the plan, CMFRI Director Grinson George described mariculture as “the next big thing” in India’s marine fisheries sector.
He highlighted that technologies like cage culture and Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) will play an important role in boosting production.
He was speaking at the launch of the Central Government’s Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PM DDKY) at CMFRI on Saturday.
India currently produces an average of 3.5 million tonnes annually from marine fisheries.
As climate change and resource depletion pose significant challenges, CMFRI is betting on alternative systems such as mariculture to ensure future marine food security.
“To meet the growing domestic and export demand, India is targeting at least 25 lakh tonnes of mariculture production by 2047,” Dr George said.
He said that there is immense potential in seaweed farming in India, which is a high value sector in mariculture.
While global seaweed production is around 35.5 million tonnes, India’s production is minimal.
“We can achieve at least 5 million tonnes domestically to meet industrial and nutraceutical demand,” he said.
Dr. George also stressed the need for a strong national mariculture policy and a supportive legal framework to enable sustainable, large-scale investment.
With a long coastline and favorable marine conditions, India is well positioned to become a global mariculture hub, he said.
The training sessions covered mussel and oyster farming, cage and pen farming, biofloc system and innovative feed production using black soldier fly larvae. Free food was distributed to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe beneficiaries.
–IANS
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