Puducherry Lieutenant Governor K. Kailashnathan expressed that Puducherry holds the potential to establish itself as a significant marine export hub in India and develop into a model marine economy. He emphasized the importance of enhancing value addition and modernizing the fisheries infrastructure for this transformation. The Lieutenant Governor inaugurated a two-day international workshop focusing on ‘Marine Fisheries Value Chain in the Bay of Bengal Region: Puducherry as Destination’, highlighting the strategic advantages of the union territory, including its coastline, port connectivity, skilled workforce, and growing processing ecosystem.
Kailashnathan pointed out that Karaikal, serving as the sole harbour-centric production and processing center on India’s East Coast, positions Puducherry favorably to emerge as a key export gateway. He noted that with almost 97% of India’s exports passing through ports, Puducherry’s location becomes advantageous for trade. The workshop, a collaborative effort between the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO), the Government of Puducherry, and partners like the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute, aims to enhance the marine fisheries value chain in the Bay of Bengal region.
The Lieutenant Governor stressed the significance of ensuring income security for fishers, stating that a mere increase in fish catch does not guarantee prosperity. He highlighted the necessity of elevating the value derived from each kilogram of fish to boost the fishing community’s income. Kailashnathan underscored the essential requirements for better price realization in both domestic and global markets, including modern cold chain systems, upgraded fish landing centers, certification processes, and export-oriented infrastructure.
Kailashnathan mentioned that the Puducherry government, in partnership with the central government, is implementing reforms through initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). These efforts focus on various aspects such as harbor development, safety equipment provision, fishermen’s insurance, GPS support, promotion of deep-sea fishing, and training for women’s self-help groups. He also praised Puducherry’s women fish cooperatives as a national model, recognizing their significant contributions to fish drying, processing, and value-added product manufacturing.
The workshop serves as a platform for international experts, policymakers, researchers, cooperatives, and industry leaders to collaborate on devising a comprehensive strategy for enhancing the marine fisheries value chain in the Bay of Bengal region.
