Training imparted to divert export of cuttle fish to Europe

kolkata: In a bid to divert the export of cuttle fish to European countries, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Kolkata has imparted hands-on skilled training for preparation of value added Cephalopods that include – cuttle fish, squids and octopus .

The training assumes significance with the exporters of West Bengal facing acute problems in exporting to China due to detection of COVID -19 nucleic acid on the packaging material of frozen products. Exporters from this region have been mainly exporting to China, cuttle fish as Block Frozen Whole.

However, out of 3 major exporters to China, 2 have been suspended after their consignment tested positive for COVID-19 nucleic acid in outer packaging material and now exporters are refusing to send marine products to China.

"There is a good market for cuttle fish in Europe but for this purpose the need was to do some value addition to the cephalopods as the eating habit of Europe is different from

that of China. However, the exporters did not possess the skill for any such value addition," a senior official of MPEDA said.

Hence MPEDA NETFISH (Network of Fish Quality Management & Sustainable Fishing) brought in trained supervisors and technical work force from Veraval area of Gujarat and rendered hands on training to the workers as well as managers, supervisors, technologists for pre- processing, processing so that there is little problem in acceptance in European market.

"We are hopeful that this skilled hands on training will go a long way towards securing the livelihood of processing personnel as well as the fishermen for sustainability," Archiman Lahiri, Deputy Director MPEDA regional division Kolkata.

At least 147 participants from six leading processing units based at Digha, Sankarpur , Contai in East Midnapore and Jagadishpur in Howrah joined the training programme.

Good quantity of cephalopods (about 50 MT) is being captured and landed every day in different fish landing centre and fishing harbours.

Shyamsundar Das Secretary of Digha Fishermen and Fish Traders Association said that the training imparted by MPEDA has been 100 percent successful. "The fishermen are getting double the price for cuttle fish, squids and octopus. The price that was Rs 110-120 per kg is now being sold at around Rs 230-240 per kg," he added.