Colombo, Oct. 27 (Daily Mirror) - Around 40% of Sri Lanka’s annual fish production is reportedly lost due to post-harvest wastage, despite the country producing nearly 400,000 metric tonnes of fish annually, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.
Measures to minimise these losses and improve the efficiency of the fisheries supply chain were discussed during a meeting on the 2027 Budget proposals for the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources at the Presidential Secretariat on October 27.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructed officials to prepare plans to reduce post-harvest losses while transforming the fisheries sector into a commercially viable industry.
The meeting also discussed introducing modern fishing vessels to promote deep-sea fishing, attracting private-sector investment and developing sustainable coastal infrastructure and environmentally friendly ports.
The President highlighted the need to increase fish production while improving the incomes of fishing communities and ensuring fish is available to consumers at affordable prices.
Financial assistance programmes and challenges in implementing fisheries loan schemes were also reviewed. The President directed Finance Ministry officials to establish sector-specific criteria for loan schemes to address the industry's particular needs.
The development of aquaculture and freshwater fisheries was also discussed, with the President instructing officials to work with the Mahaweli Authority to resolve land-related issues affecting freshwater fisheries.
Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekar, Deputy Minister Rathna Gamage, senior ministry secretaries and other officials attended the meeting.
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