Puducherry, Feb 12 (IANS) Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan on Thursday said the union territory has the potential to emerge as a major marine export gateway of India and evolve into a model marine economy, provided it strengthens value addition and modernises fisheries infrastructure.

Inaugurating a two-day international workshop on ‘Marine Fisheries Value Chain in the Bay of Bengal Region: Puducherry as Destination’, he highlighted the UT’s strategic advantages — its coastline, port connectivity, skilled human resources and expanding processing ecosystem.

“Karaikal, the only harbour-centric production and processing hub on India’s East Coast, places Puducherry in a strong position to become a major export gateway, especially when nearly 97 per cent of the country’s exports move through ports,” he said.

The workshop is jointly organised by the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) and the Government of Puducherry, in association with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute and the National Fisheries Development Board, among others.

Emphasising income security for fishers, the Lieutenant Governor said merely increasing the fish catch would not ensure prosperity.

“If the income of the fishing community is to rise, the value derived from each kilogram of fish must increase,” he noted.

He underlined the need for modern cold chain systems, ice plants, upgraded fish landing centres, certification mechanisms and export-oriented infrastructure to ensure better price realisation in domestic and global markets.

Kailashnathan said the Puducherry government, in collaboration with the Centre, is implementing reforms through schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), focusing on harbour development, safety equipment, fishermen’s insurance, GPS support, deep-sea fishing promotion and training for women’s self-help groups.

Highlighting community strength, he described Puducherry’s women fish cooperatives as a national model.

Women play a vital role in fish drying, processing and production of value-added items, and require enhanced credit access, skill training and market linkages, he said.

The workshop brings together international experts, policymakers, researchers, cooperatives and industry leaders to chart a comprehensive strategy for upgrading the marine fisheries value chain across the Bay of Bengal region.

–IANS

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