Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu on Sunday said that new policies of the government will ensure the doubling of exports, currently pegged at $321 billion, in a few years.
He was speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a new office and laboratory complex of the Export Inspection Agency at Margao in south Goa.
“It is our endeavour to increase India’s exports from the current $321 billion to almost double in a few years. One of the principal potential areas for export is fisheries, especially at a time when for the first time, the country has come out with an agricultural policy,” Prabhu said.
He said that the policy focuses on five key elements, namely agriculture, horticulture, plantation, fisheries and meat.
“All these are going to be exported. From the current $30 billion, we want to take it to $100 billion. Fisheries can create several lakh jobs in the country,” he added.
He said that the Air Cargo policy announced on January 15 this year will boost fish exports, adding that the Centre and Goa government would tie up to form clusters to make value-added products.
“Vegetables, fruits, cashew, fish can be exported from Goa. For that, we have already created a marine export development agency,” he said.
Prabhu, who is also Union civil aviation minister, said that the Mopa greenfield airport, expected to be operational by 2020, will help give the coastal state new opportunities.
“We are planning to set up export hubs so that Goa will be benefit from new infrastructure,” he said.
