Marine export can touch $4 billion by 2010’

KOCHI, JUNE 19:  India can raise its marine products export to $4 billion by 2010 from $1.6 billion if it has the right infrastructure, Kerala Seafood Exporters’ Association president Anwar Hashim said on Monday. Water and transport are the areas that need urgent attention, he added. “Quality of water and transport in seafood processing sector in India needs substantial improvement,” Mr Hashim said. “EU countries insist on quality of water in processing plans as well as their surroundings,” he added. Treatment of effluents from marine products processing plants is another major infrastructure issue facing the sector. “We need to have common effluent treatment facilities in major marine processing centres,” he said. Primitive state of transport infrastructure in fish landing centres across the country also calls for substantial improvement. “We even lack proper roads to many fishing harbors. The government should take urgent steps to address the problem.” —CRISIL MarketWire http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=131159