Tripura fisheries sector hit with Rs 1,350 crore loss from flooding, says minister

Tripura Fisheries Minister Sudhangshu Das has revealed that the state's fisheries sector has suffered losses worth Rs 1,350 crore due to recent flooding. The minister made this announcement during a state-level review meeting of the Fisheries Department on Friday, November 8.

Minister Das stated that this is the second such review meeting held this year. The primary objectives were to assess the department's progress in achieving district and sub-division level targets, as well as to identify any issues.

The minister noted that in August, fish farmers faced severe difficulties due to the flooding. He said the state government has undertaken various steps to support and benefit the affected farmers, which were also discussed during the meeting.

"We emphasised ways to increase fish production in the state and to provide employment for the youth. We are working to meet the demand for fish in the state. Although it is a challenging task, and this year we faced additional difficulties due to the floods, we are making progress," Das said.

According to the minister, the annual fish demand in Tripura is 1,16,000 MT, while the state's own production stands at 83,000 MT. The remaining demand is met through imports from Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, and occasionally from Bangladesh. However, Das mentioned that exports from Bangladesh are currently affected.

"Following the flood, we have an estimated loss of Rs 1,350 crore. We received a fund of Rs 10 crore to support some of the fish farmers who suffered losses. In addition, we have submitted our estimated losses to both the state and the Centre. They have assured us that they will assist us after reviewing all the information," the minister added.