Trends in Fish Production and Marine Fish Products Export from India

Abstract

Fish farming can play a vital role in the economic upliftment of the rural masses especially farmers. Keeping the importance of fish farming into consideration the present study was undertaken to investigate the growth in fish production in India and Punjab along with peeping into the export trends of marine fish production from India. In order to fulfil the objectives of the study, secondary data on fish production and export scenario were obtained from various sources for India and Punjab. The results of the study brought out that the total fish production in India had increased at a growth rate of 4.29 per cent per annum from 1980–81 to 2013–14. Growth in inland fish production was higher as compared to marine fish production during the same period. Also, the quantity of inland fish production had overtaken the marine fish production during the last three decades. The relative share of marine fish export to total marine fish production had increased during 1980–81 to 2013–14. As far as fish production in Punjab was concerned, the growth in area and production from fish farming had increased at the rate of 7.63 per cent and 9.88 per cent per annum, respectively during the period 1990–91 to 2013–14. It was inferred that increase in area and fish production could be attributed to subsidy provided by the government on various components of fish farming for its promotion which was reflected in terms of increase in area under fish farming in the state. The study brought out some specific policy issues such as; the government should provide higher subsidy to fish farmers particularly for inland fish production to further augment the fish production in the country as a whole and the demand of fish in the market could be increased if people are made aware about the nutritional importance of fishes through electronic and print media.