Odisha searching to double seafood exports with ‘Paradip’ brand name

PARADIP : The Odisha Government is on a mission to double the export of seafood from the Paradip Fishing Habour. With a team from Europe scheduled to visit Paradip from November 11 to 22, the government is adopting comprehensive measures to strike a deal.

This time, the government is planning to export seafood with ‘Paradip’ brand name. All the exported seafood will have the brand name of ‘Paradip’ to gain more international recognition. This will not only add to the revenue earned from seafood export but will also generate more employment opportunities for fishermen in the area.

Seafoods like marine fish, shrimp, crab, squid, octopus and cuttlefish are in high demand in foreign countries. These are all-natural products and are in high demand in the overseas markets.

The state government is also planning to arrange more containers with modern facilities for the effective export of seafood through the sea route. Furthermore, an air cargo facility would also give a boost to high-value commodities of Paradip, Chilika and other places.

“We can send live fish, crab, shrimp and other seafood to other countries every day,” a senior official said.

“A team from Europe is visiting India from November 11 to 22. They had already visited Paradip fishing harbour back in 2017. A union from America had also visited us. It was a successful visit. Never till then, we had sold Paradip fish with our name tag. Now, we are able to export fish from here with our own name tag in the international market,” informed Srikanta Parida, President, OMFPA.

“This has increased our fish quality and price. So, we are waiting for the European team to arrive and approve our products so that we can export more to the international market,” he added.