By Express News Service KOCHI: The Centre will help the seafood sector in all possible ways to make the country the number one exporter by working together with all stakeholders, including the state governments and the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), with new vigour, said Som Parkash, Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry. “There is an urgent need to make India the prime producer of seafood and to lift it further from the fourth position it is occupying now,” he said while addressing the MPEDA Award distribution ceremony at the 22nd India International Seafood Show here on Saturday. Acknowledging that the sector was facing problems in achieving production and export targets without compromising on quality and environment, he said the government was willing to address each one of them as this would contribute to the country’s overall economic development, besides improving employment opportunities. “At present, the sector provides employment to about 14.5 million people. In view of the economic slowdown, there is a need to work hard for achieving various targets set by the seafood industry,” he added. During the occasion, Fisheries Minister Mercykutty Amma sought liberal financial assistance from the Centre for upgradation of the state’s fishing industry, including replacement of kerosene engines with more eco-friendly engines and expansion of inland aquaculture. “Financial assistance from the Centre is also required for implementing the state’s plan to popularise deep sea fishing,” she said. The union minister, fisheries minister and Hibi Eden, MP, gave away MPEDA Awards to 60 companies and individuals for their excellent performance. The newly instituted MPEDA Chairman’s Award for ‘Most Responsible Exporter of the Year 2018-19’ was handed over to Gadre Marine Products Pvt Ltd, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, while the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ was given to Abraham J Tharakan, chairman and managing director of Amalgam Group. MPEDA chairman K S Srinivas, Seafood Exporters Association of India national president Jagdish V Fofandi, former MPEDA chairman Jose Cyriac and former advisor to the prime minister T K A Nair also spoke.

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