Andhra Bags First Prize in Best Government Stalls Category

HYDERABAD:
Department of Fisheries, Andhra Pradesh, bagged the first prize in the Best Government Stalls category as the three-day 5th edition of Aqua Aquaria India (AAI), the biennial showpiece event of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), concluded here today.

Fisheries Departments of Telangana and Maharashtra came second and third, respectively, in the category. Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture (RGCA), the R&D arm of MPEDA, was the proud recipient of the special award for Best Aquaculture Stall.

The awards were presented by MPEDA Chairman, K S Srinivas. In the Private Stalls category, Growel Feeds Pvt. Ltd. won the first prize. The second and third prizes went to Avanti Feeds Limited and Evis Export Pvt. Ltd. respectively.

The Regional Division of MPEDA, Visakhapatnam, received the award for putting up the maximum number of stalls at the exhibition while the Regional Division of MPEDA at Vijayawada got the runner-up in this category. The awards were announced by a panel of experts comprising Dr. Emilia Quinitio, Senior Scientist, SEAFDEC/AQD, Philippines; Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, Professor, Department of Soil Water and Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, USA;and Prof. A. Ramachandran,Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (KUFOS), Panangad, Kerala.

A memento was given to Avens Expositions Pvt. Ltd for construction of fish model at the exhibition. The awards were announced by a panel of experts comprising Dr. Emilia Quinitio, Senior Scientist, SEAFDEC/AQD, Philippines; Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, Professor, Department of Soil Water and Environmental Science, The University of Arizona, USA;and Prof. A. Ramachandran,Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (KUFOS), Panangad, Kerala.

A memento was given to Avens Expositions Pvt. Ltd for construction of fish model at the exhibition. An interesting feature of the AAI 2019 was the seafood festival and an exclusive session devoted for aquaculture farmers, who narrated their success stories.

India’s impressive strides in sustainable aquaculture and ornamental fisheries brought to the centre stage at the event held at HITEX exhibition center, from August 30 to September 01. Technical sessions on issues concerning aquaculture and ornamental fishery sectors were addressed by domain experts from India and abroad. The three-day biennial event for encouraging diversification and intensification of aquaculture in a sustainable manner.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, the Chief Guest, inaugurated the there-day event, whose focal theme was ‘Taking Blue Revolution to India’s Hinterland’. AAI 2019 offered a platform for all stakeholders to deliberate on various aspects of aquaculture and ornamental fish for showcasing their products and services, as well to strike business deals. It also provided an update on the recent developments in aquaculture practices and ornamental fish breeding and rearing technology.

Around 5,000 delegates from India and abroad participated in the mega event where more than 200 stalls displayed various production and harvest technologies, machinery and accessories in the export-oriented aquaculture as well as ornamental fishery sectors.