Lakshadweep/Kochi, Lakshadweep, the smallest Union Territory in India, has declared its 'Export Strategy' based on Blue Green Economy of the Islands.
Mr OP Mishra, Director of Industries and State Export Commissioner, UT of Lakshadweep in a release on Thursday said that the Export Strategy aims to transform Lakshadweep as a 'Rising Export Hub’ and promote products and services of exporters of the Union Territory.
Historically people of Lakshadweep are dependent on consumption and trade of two products abundantly available there that is Coconut and Fish (especially Tuna).
Any Export Policy has to take into account the capacity of its traditional products from Coconut and the Sea. Lakshadweep has been a default organic land due to isolation in the past and the administrative policy in the recent times.
Lakshadweep has obtained the status of second State/UT to be declared as 100% organic by Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India.
Further 4200 Sq Km extent of the Coral Lagoons provides an ideal ground for growing and marketing of sea-weed. The focus of export policy shall be value addition to premium material available in the Islands.
Assistance under the Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Industrial Development Scheme (LANIDS) can also be considered for such projects.
The contribution from coconut cultivation to the economy of Lakshadweep is about Rs 100 crore per year against its manifold potential, which can be achieved with the establishment of cost efficient processing chains to produce consumer products, professional management and efficient marketing strategies exploring end market with private public participation.
Currently the Copra production per year is 7000 MT (8 crore nuts) valued at Rs 90 crore, Milled coconut oil production is 600 MT (using 85 lakh nuts) valued at 12 crore, Virgin Coconut Oil production is 30 MT (7 lakh nuts) valued around Rs 9 crore, Neera (1 lakh liter and Jaggery -20 MT) valued around Rs 2 crore, Coir fiber & products & shell handicrafts valued around Rs 2 crore.
The challenge is value addition to the premium 100% organic products, particularly, from indigenous species of coconut.
Potential products for exports are cold processed Virgin Coconut Oil, Desiccated Coconut Powder, Coconut Milk and Coir based geo-textiles (such as Erosion Control Blankets and Coir Nettings).
Fish, especially the oceanic tunas-skipjack and yellow fin are the two major natural resource of Lakshadweep islands having export potential.
Average landing of fish in Lakshadweep during the last 5 years (2016-2020) is 21,745 ton of which nearly 80% was tunas viz. skipjack (11,909 T) and yellow fin (5245 T).
All the 10 inhibited islands of Lakshadweep have the fish landing centers and the fishing vessels carry out daily fishing in fishing grounds in the vicinity of these islands.
The potential of tuna fisheries of Lakshadweep has not been fully harnessed due to lack of forward and backward linkages and also lack of cold chain infrastructures like ice plants, cold storage and other processing facilities.
Chilled storages/cold storages are also very few in number. Lakshadweep Administration will be creating much needed infrastructure like Ice plants and Ice banks, Cold storage, Fish handling centers under PMMSY and UT plans through Public Private Partnership mode.
The yellow fin and skipjack Tunas of Lakshadweep waters are considered to be of superior quality, free from any kind of chemical contamination.
Tunas of such high quality have huge demand in the international markets, especially, Japan and European Union countries, provided it confirms to cold chain requirements of international standards.
This offers huge opportunity for export of Lakshadweep tuna. The fisherman of Lakshadweep harvests Tuna using highly sustainable fishing techniques like the pole & line, hand line and troll line without hurting sensitive marine animals like dolphins, turtles etc.
There is a huge demand for value added products of Tuna specially dried skipjack in Japan and Europe. Lakshadweep fishermen have tradition of production of dried Tuna variety locally known as Massmein.
MPEDA exporters can fine tune the local production methods of dry Tuna to achieve very high value export grade. Further, good quality yellow fin Tuna meat is used in raw form as Sashmi.
The initial experimentation on Marine algae (Seaweed) farming by ICAR- CMFRI- KVK has proven that lagoons of Lakshadweep Islands have a very high potential for Marine algae (Seaweed) farming.
It is also estimated that Lakshadweep waters have potential equivalent to that of sea weed production in Indonesia, which is a major Seaweed producing nation.
The lagoon waters of Lakshadweep are home to many ornamental marine species. The fish fauna consists of 603 species of which around 300 species can be grown and marketed as Ornamental species.
Local groups are trained to cultivate Ornamental Shrimps and Ornamental Fisheries with support of National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, ICAR, Lucknow.
A separate FPO will be formed to channelize the export marketing potential of Ornamental fishes in Lakshadweep, in partnership with National Corporative Development Corporation (NCDC).
Meanwhile, as a part of 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav,' a celebration to commemorate 75 years of Independence, the Directorate of Industries in association with the Director General of Foreign Trade and the Marine Products Exports Development Authority, has organized "Vanijya Utsav".
The two-day event was held at Beach Front on September 21 and 22 with the exhibition stalls, cultural programs organized very successfully.
This event was aimed at boosting the export potential from the UT of Lakshadweep. As a part of it, Advisor to Administrator, A. Anbarasu, IAS, inaugurated the stalls and exhibition and addressed the event in the presence of Amit Satija, Secretary, Finance, K. T. Damodar Secretary, Environment, Rawat, Secretary, Law, O.P. Mishra Secretary, Animal Husbandry and others.
The event was aimed at showcasing U T of Lakshadweep as a ‘Rising Export Hub’ and to promote products and services of exporters from the UT of Lakshadweep.
It also aims to lead the accelerated growth of export performance of the Union Territory, and spread awareness of the support provided to exporters by the UT Administration, the Export Promotion Council (EPC) and the Directorate of Industries at all levels.
This Vanijya Utsav was targeted to increase the share of exporters in a significant way with a focus on development of industries, fisheries, agriculture, handicrafts and other sectors.
This UT level event was held with 15 different stalls which was presented by MPEDA, Cochin, ICAR- NBFGR, ICAR- CIFT, LDCL, Coconut Board, Department of Industries and Woman SHG’s. Each stall has showcased its unique products. MPEDA Cochin deputed their officer Dr. Jayagopal to coordinate on behalf of Ministry of Commerce.
The islands of Lakshadweep, a land area of only 32 Sq Km, has provided the country with 20,000 sq.km. of territorial waters.