Impact of fisheries on the economic development of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

In Andhra Pradesh, the primary sector consisting of agriculture, livestock, fisheries,etc., contributed substantially to the economy of the state to the tune of 27.5% of the GSDP during 2003-04. The fisheries play a very significant role in the development of the state having contributed Rs. 60,310 million (at current prices) to the primary sector this year, which amounts to about 12%. The export of marine products from Visakhapatnam port has brought in foreign exchange worth about Rs. 9,000 million, during 2002-03. With an impressive infrastructure both in fishing and fish processing, the fisheries sector provides employment to about 2 mill"10n people and supports 10 million people in the state. In this paper, an attempt is made to study the impact of fisheries on the development of the economy in the state. Suggestions to achieve the targets to ensure a viable fisheries sector have also been discussed.