Fish Preprocessing Centre in Baleswar in Offing

The Seafood Exporters’ Association of India, Odisha Region and the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) will establish a common preprocessing centre of international standard for the first time at Balaramgadi in Baleswar district in Odisha.

The project, estimated to cost around Rs 6 crore, aims at creating hygienic conditions of international standard for preprocessing works like peeling for headless and other value-added products. The project has a potential of employment of about 1,500 skilled rural women.

In addition to employment, the project would also help shrimp farmers and fishermen of the district get better price of their products.

Earlier, the exporters used to purchase materials and send them to their factories for preprocessing. The project would also help them increase the value of their products due to reduction of wastage and savings in transportation cost.

The Bhumi Pujan ceremony of the project was conducted on Thursday by MPEDA Chairperson Leena Nair and president of Seafood Exporters’ Association of India, Odisha Region G Mohanty in the presence of Director, EIC, New Delhi, Dr SK Saxena, State Director of Fisheries P Krishna Mohan, MPEDA Directors P Mohan Sundaram and N Ramesh and national vice-president of Seafood Exporters’ Association Tara Ranjan Patnaik. Source: The Pioneer