KOCHI:
The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) opened today its second signature stall at the Cochin International Airport under its ‘Seafood India’ project launched ten months ago.
The new stall at the airport premises in Nedumbassery, 40 km north of here, will sell ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat value-added products from 10 exporters.
The MPEDA had started the ‘Seafood India’ signature stall in December last year when Union Commerce and Industry Minister Suresh Prabhu had inaugurated the 1700-square-feet facility at Panampally Nagar in downtown Ernakulam.
Today, that endeavour found its second chapter with the opening of the stall at the airport. MPEDA Chairman K S Srinivas said that the signature stall is opened in the Cochin airport as a part of MPEDA’s brand promotion campaign for Indian seafood, considering the airport’s importance in the traffic of international tourists as well as non-resident keralites.
“Moreover, MPEDA signature stall helps the domestic consumers also get familiarised to export quality value added seafood products.” The stall at the Panampilly Nagar ‘Seafood India’ facility currently displays around 100 value-added products of various companies across India. The items for sale span a range of ready-to-eat, ready-to-fry and ready-to-cook items.
MPEDA is to set up similar signature stalls in other international airports as well, Srinivas added.
‘Seafood India’ stall in the MPEDA headquarters at Panampilly Nagar, exhibit products developed by prominent fisheries research institutions such as CMFRI, CIFT and NIFPHATT besides selling and displaying value-added marine products of exporters. It also provides literature on the activities of MPEDA and its societies such as NETFISH, RGCA and NaCSA. Enabled with information kiosks to browse the details about each product, the stall provides information ranging from its production, processing, cooking and nutritional content.
The 1972-established MPEDA, as a statutory body under the Union Government’s Ministry of Commerce & Industry, coordinates with different central and state government establishments engaged in fishery production and allied activities. It works for increasing the exports of marine products through interventions in fishing, aquaculture, processing, marketing, extension, quality assurance, R&D and training in various aspects.
