The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Ornamental fish trade gets needed fillip

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 13, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Ornamental fish trade gets needed fillip

R. Vimal Kumar

Assistance to be given for establishing marketing societies

Tuticorin: The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has introduced a scheme to extend financial assistance for establishing ornamental fish marketing societies (OFMS).

Speaking to The Hindu here, S. Asok Kumar, Assistant Director, MPEDA, said that the scheme was aimed at developing necessary infrastructure to market ornamental fish in large quantities and reduce intermediaries in production and marketing.

The OFMS was a body of breeding units registered as per MPEDA guideline. They would buy ornamental fish from the members and other sources and market it in the domestic and export markets.

Under the scheme, MPEDA would bear 50 per cent of the project cost subject to a maximum of Rs. 5 lakh a unit. The assistance should be utilised for establishment of building, water and power connections and construction of cement and glass tanks.

The capital expenditure for setting up the marketing facility should be certified by a chartered accountant. The advance approval for availing the scheme would be given on production of copy of proof of availability of finance from any commercial bank along with the prescribed application.

Benefits

Mr. Kumar said that establishment of societies would give a fillip to the ornamental fish trade, considering the fact that the country’s share in global trade being negligible.

The societies would offer a good opportunity to micro and small scale ornamental fish breeders to capitalise the scope in export trade, which had been registering an annual growth rate of eight per cent globally.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu