Lankan fish exports exceed imports by USD 110 mn in first seven months of 2021

Text and pix by PRIYAN DE SILVA 

Revenue from seafood exports had exceeded the cost of seafood imports by over 110 million US dollars during the first seven months of 2021 the State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish & Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multiday Fishing Activities and Fish Exports Kanchana Wijesekera said on Sunday.

The Minister said that 99% of the annual requirement of dried sprats was imported and in 2020 over Rs. 31 million rupees had been spent to import dried sprats alone

Wijesekera said so, addressing the 261 entrepreneurs in the Matara district engaged in 11 related industries to ornamental fish breeding, inland fish breeding and the fish food manufacturing industry who were provided with financial grants at a ceremony held at Kamburupitiya.

New entrants to the industry received a grant of 100,000 rupees while those already engaged in the enterprise received grants of 250,000 rupees each. The Minister said that the government had allocated Rs. 565 million which would be disbursed among over 3000 entrepreneurs in the sector.

Wijesekera said that a person who had the basic infrastructure such as land and water resources, could earn Rs. 17.500 a month on an initial investment of Rs. 100,000.  He said that state banks had been instructed to provide loans on concessional terms to those who wished to expand their enterprises.

Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Minister of Mass Media Dullas Alahapperuma, representatives of local government institutions and ministry officials attended the ceremony.