Indian export earnings from fishery products reached an all-time high of ₹.37,871 crores (5.7billion USD) during 2016-17, keeping the growth trajectory, meeting the stringent food safety standards put forward by the importing countries and keeping with the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) ecosystems. Farmed shrimp is the major commodity of our export basket contributing 70% of the total export in terms value worth ₹.25,000 crores. Therefore, it is essential that our shrimp farmers need to be educated on the adoption of better management practices (BMPs) of farming enabling the production of quality shrimps. Fisheries being the state subject, the fisheries departments of the States and Union Territories have the major responsibility in undertaking the capacity development. In this context, Export Inspection Council (EIC), Govt. of India, in coordination with ICAR-CIBA, conducted a five day ‘trainers-training’ course on ‘Skill enhancement in the marine sector (SEMS) for sustainable export opportunities: Enhanced Official control by State and UTs Fisheries Departments’ during 7-11 May, 2018 at ICAR-CIBA Chennai. A batch of 16 fisheries officials from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry participated in the programme. The participants were trained on the quality requirements in the primary production chain, processing centres and standards enforced by the major importing nations.
Addressing the participants, Dr.K.K.Vijayan, Director, CIBA emphasized the working together of fishery research institutions and promotional agencies in addressing the issues related to the production and food safety of aquaculture products. He further emphasized that fishery officials at the field level have to play a major role in ensuring the quality of aquaculture productions, creating awareness by developing a bridge between the farmers and the processors. Dr.S.K.Saxena, Director, EIC, in his valedictory address to the participants, highlighted that elimination of contaminants from the primary production systems ensures higher acceptability of our farmed aquatic products in the domestic and export markets. He acknowledged the efforts of CIBA in advocating BMPs in brackishwater production systems and joining hands with EIC in enhancing the skills of fishery extension officers. The programme was coordinated by Dr.P.K.Patil, Principal Scientist, CIBA and Dr J. S. Reddy, Joint Director, EIC- EIA Chennai.
