Jagan calls for hike in consumption of fish and shrimp to 12 lakh metric tonnes

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has made a call to promote consumption of products like fish and shrimps to 12 lakh metric tonnes from the present 4.36 lakh mt per annum in the state and make them available at affordable prices to the people.

Chairing a high-level review meeting on fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy development, attended by fisheries minister Seediri Appala Raju and senior officials at his camp office here on Wednesday, the CM advised officials to set up aqua hubs and associated retail shops for this purpose.

He called for expediting the efforts to set up an aqua university and asked officials to acquire land for the purpose. He also asked them to check if insurance coverage can be provided to the aqua sector with support from the Centre.

The CM asked officials to give more publicity for integrated aqua labs so that aqua farmers could get best-quality seed and feed. "Create awareness on how to go about for quality check of aqua products," he said and felt the need to inaugurate all targeted 35 such labs by November. Only 14 were open at present.

The CM also called for an action plan to promote cage fish culture and ‘mariculture’ so that farmers and entrepreneurs would earn good revenue. He asked officials to take up these as pilot projects at three places each, to start with.

The CM reviewed the progress in the setting up of seven fishing harbours and five fish land centres. Officials informed him that works started at five harbours and one fish land centre. He told them to take up the remaining too.

While reviewing animal husbandry, the chief minister called for an action plan to set up veterinary dispensaries with mandal as base unit. “Come up with a mapping on dispensaries as per requirement."

The chief minister also called for a plan of action to provide basic infrastructure in veterinary dispensaries under the Nadu-Nadu programme.

On public health, the CM said the state is following a protocol with two PHCs, four doctors and two ambulances for a mandal and also promoting the family doctor concept. The same can be done for animal husbandry also, he said.

Officials informed the CM that the AP Amul project milk production in Prakasam, Kadapa, Chittoor, Guntur and West Godavari was overwhelming and promised to expand the project to Visakhapatnam and Anantapur districts by August.