MPEDA launches call centre for aqua farmers in Vijayawada

Vijayawada: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) on Wednesday launched a multilingual call centre for aqua farmers of Andhra Pradesh at Vijayawada. The call centre will address the technical issues of the aqua farmers and impart knowledge about efficient farming methods by domain experts round the clock.

Launching the call centre through video conference on Tuesday, MPEDA chairman K S Srinivas said it would help the aqua farmers in Andhra Pradesh to seek advice by experienced experts for addressing their concerns and following Best Management Practices (BMPs) to boost production and ensure quality of the produce.

"I request the aqua farmers to make use of the toll-free number 1800-425-4648 with IVRS (interactive voice response system) facility established at Vijayawada to clear their technical doubts from the experts and not to fall in the trap of quacks. It will also help them in seeking information about the various support schemes extended by the field offices of MPEDA," he added.

Andhra Pradesh contributes more than 60 per cent of marine products exports in the country. The call centre is primarily aimed to cater the aqua farmers of Andhra Pradesh and other parts of India. The call centre can also handle calls in English and Hindi.

India produced 7,47,111 metric tonne of shrimps last year, of which more than 68 per cent had come from Andhra Pradesh alone from its over 52,000 shrimp farms covering a water spread area of 75,000 hectare. In his welcome address, MPEDA director Dr Karthikeyan said, "The call centre will assist the aquaculture farmers of Andhra Pradesh in dealing with the issues of day-to-day farming activities and provide useful aquaculture-related information which can be utilised efficiently."

Appreciating MPEDA for its unique initiative, Kanna Babu, commissioner of fisheries, Andhra Pradesh, assured full support of the state government in this regard. Dr U Jogi Ananda Varma, member, MPEDA, exuded confidence that the services offered by the call centre would help the farmers to manage their crops in a better way and give a fillip to the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme announced by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Deputy director, MPEDA, Vijayawada, K Sivarajan and other officials participated in the event.