By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 1, 2015 :

Fish and fish products can now be exported from Dhamara harbour in Bhadrak district at the international market after it got the formal approval from Kolkata based Export Investigating Agency – a Government of India agency, officials said here.

“This is the first harbour in the state to have received the approval for export of fishery products. Now, it will be convenient for the exporters to enter into the international market”, state’s fisheries and animal resources department commissioner-cum-secretary Bishnupada Sethi said.

India has 12 such ports with authorization from EIA to export fish and fish products at the international market. No export can be done without expressed approval from EIA, which has set certain standards in packing, storage facilities and on-the-site hygienic conditions at harbours.

Dhamra port authorities had applied to EIA for certification to enable it to export fishery product in 2013. In November last year, EIA deputy director had visited the port and advised the management to ensure cleanliness from its fishing harbor. The Port Authority accordingly had taken several steps like beefing up the infrastructure for export of fishery products following which the EIA gave its approval.

Every two years, the ports are required to get EIA’s approval to continue the exports.

In 2013-14, Odisha produced 414,000 tons of fish, out of which 31 thousand tons, valued at Rs.1,817 crore, were exported to Japan, the US, EU, China, South East Asia and Middle East mainly through Visakhapatnam and Kolkata ports.