Odisha to cancel land allotted to defaulting seafood exporters

The Odisha government has decided to cancel land allotments to seafood exporters for non-payment of lease. The land had been allotted for setting up three units in the proposed seafood park on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar.

“The chief secretary has given his nod for cancelling the allotments to 18 seafood exporters for non-payment of dues. Only allotments to Falcon, Magnum, and B– One will not be cancelled as they have deposited their dues. We will take a decision on cancelling the allotments soon”, said an official source.

Spread over 152 acres, the project has been approved under the union ministry of food processing industries’ Mega Food Park Scheme. It will comprise 41 processing units. The project will provide plug-and-play infrastructure, access to cold storage, pre-processing and post-processing facilities, an ice plant, packaging, polythene unit, and a research and development facility.

Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (Idco) is developing the park for ~1.34 billion. It is receiving a ~500 million grant from the union ministry of food processing industries and ~150 million from the state government.

Exporters have complained about Idco setting the land price at a higher rate of ~7 million per acre despite a ~650 million grant from the Centre and the State. Their demand is to fix the land price at ~3 million.

Thirteen exporters of the Seafood Exporters Association of India- Odisha decided to stay away from the project for non-fulfillment of their demands.

The seafood park had bagged investment proposals worth ~4.66 billion from 20 companies. The park will process 90,860 tonnes per annum of seafood. It expects to generate 7,214 jobs.

“There will be no investment loss, as more investors are in queue to commit investment,” added the official.