West Bengal government to export fishes for the first time

For the first time, the West Bengal government has bagged huge orders worth Rs 900 crore to export fishes to countries like Dubai, Japan and China. This initiative taken up by the fisheries department of West Bengal will not only create a market for Bengal's fishes in the foreign countries but also help to uplift the financial condition of the state's fishermen.  The department has plans to set up processing units with modern facilities at Nalban in Salt Lake and at Henry Island in South 24-Pargana to cater to the ongoing demand for fishes in the international markets. These units will help in the processing and packaging of the fishes that would be exported overseas. The department has decided to form self help groups comprising of unemployed rural youth and women. They would be encouraged to take up pisciculture and will be given training for the same. The state fisheries department will also be distributing fingerlings (very small fishes) to these self help groups free of cost. Though West Bengal is primarily dependent on agriculture, it is the leading producer of fishes in India. Thus, the venture will not only provide employment to the people of West Bengal, but will also boost the economy of the state.