SEZ for marine products in AP

Hyderabad: The Marine Products Export Development Agency (MPEDA), which works under the Union Ministry of Commerce, will set up the country’s first special economic zone (SEZ) for marine products in Andhra Pradesh.

Likely to be set up at Kara Agraharam near Machilipatnam, the 260-acre SEZ would house 30-40 units from the private sector, specialising in the processing of various marine products.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr Mandali Buddha Prasad, Minister for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, said that a high-level delegation had visited the site late last year.

The Minister had met the MPEDA Chairman recently in Kochi. He had also attended the meeting for the Fisheries Ministers of various States, convened by Mr Sharad Pawar, Union Minister for Agriculture.

Pathogen-free shrimp

There is good news for shrimp farmers across the country — with assistance from the National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB), the Government is going to set up a specific pathogen-free seed multiplication centre. To be set up as a joint venture with the US-based Moana Technologies, the Rs 30-crore centre will be located near Sompeta in Srikakulam district.

The shrimp sector was hit hard by the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in the last decade, shrinking the area to 24,000 hectares from the 78,000 ha in Andhra Pradesh alone.