 SOUVENIR RELEASE: Governor Surjit Singh Barnala gives the first copy of the souvenir for the launch of India International Seafood Show 2008, to Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh, at the inauguration of Indaqua 2007 in Chennai on Thursday. Switzerland's Ambassador to India Dominique Dreyer is also in the picture. |
Organic aquaculture in India has taken a step forward by tying up with a Swiss government agency for aid in certification and marketing of organic shrimp farming.
India should be able to establish its presence in the global organic aquaculture market by the year-end, said Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jairam Ramesh, as the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) at `Indaqua 2007' here on Thursday.
New trend
"There's a growing trend in Switzerland and the European Union for more sustainable, environment friendly and healthy products," said Markus Stern, director of SIPPO.
The demand for organic products is growing at the rate of 18 per cent every year, according to MPEDA.
The three-year project with SIPPO will help India cash in on this market by enforcing international standards and certification, first in the shrimp processing plants, and then in farms and hatcheries.
Source: The Hindu