Ratnagiri

INTRODUCTION

Ratnagiri

City

Thibaw Palace in Ratnagiri

Ratnagiri
Coordinates:

16.98N 73.3ECoordinates:
16.98N 73.3E
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Country
State
District

India
Maharashtra
Ratnagiri

Elevation

11 m (36 ft)

Population(2001)
Total

70,335

Languages
Official

Marathi

Timezone

IST (UTC+5:30)

PIN
Telephonecode
Vehicleregistration

415639
02352
MH08

Ratngiri (Marathi: ) is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri District[1] in
the southwestern part of Maharashtra, India. The district is a part ofKonkan.
The Sahyadri mountains border Ratnagiri to the east. Heavy rainfall results in highly eroded
landscape in the coastal region, but fertile alluvial valleys in the region produce abundant rice,
coconuts, cashew nuts, and fruits, "Hpus" (Alphonso) mangoes being one of the main fruits.
Fishing is an important industry in Ratnagiri.
Chitpavan is a major branch originally from ratnagiri district. Guhagar is their origin
andVyadeshwar is clan god of many of them.
A few illustrious Indians, including "Lokmnya" Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a prime leader in the
nation's freedom movement in the British Raj days; Bharat Ratna "Maharshi"Dhondo Keshav
Karve, a social reformer and educationist; and Wrangler Raghunath Purushottam Paranjpe, a
mathematician and educationist, were born in Ratnagiri or its vicinity.
Ratnagiri has also been featured in Amitav Ghosh's novel, 'The Glass Palace.' TheJaitapur
Nuclear Power Project is located in the district.

HistoryOfRatnagiri
In 1731, Ratnagiri came under the control of Satara kings; subsequently, the British gained
control in 1818.
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Earlier, one of the Bijapur rulers Potu Sri Chenna Reddy had built a fort on a headland near
the harbour of Ratnagiri, and Maratha king Shivaji had strengthened it in 1670.
Ratnagiri has a palace, where the last king of Burma (Myanmar), Thibaw, and, later, "Veer" V.
D. Savarkar, a freedom fighter in the British Raj days, had been confined by the ruling
British.
According to a legend, after their twelve-year exile, Pandavas of the Mahabharataepic had
settled for a while in the vicinity of Ratnagiri during their pilgrimage in the thirteenth year,
and the then king of the region, Veeravrat Ry, had subsequently fought on their side against
Kauravas during the Mahabharata war at Kuruskshetra.
Marine Biological Research Station
The Government of Maharashtra under the Department of Fisheries established the Marine
Biological Research Station (MBRS) in 1958 at Ratnagiri, which is presently attached with
Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist.: Ratnagiri. The research
station has a 10 hectare area as field facility including a three storied building at main campus,
a well equipped 'Aquarium and Museum', a modernised brackish water fish farm, a
Mechanized Fishing and Research Vessel, Seed Production facilities and various laboratories
at its disposal.
The Marine Biological Research Station, Ratnagiri is one of the premier institutes, especially
in the South Konkan Coastal Fisheries Zone, having a mandate for development of fish
production technologies, transferring the technologies to fish culturists, entrepreneurs and the
industry, and generating professionally trained manpower in fish culture.
A project for seed production of Tiger Shrimp is located at Wadamirya, Ratnagiri. This is
located on 57 hectares of Mirya creek. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New
Delhi, has provided financial assistance to this project.

Transport
Road
Ratnagiri is connected by road to Mumbai, Mangaluru, Madgaon, Karwar, Udupi and Cochin
by National Highway number 17 (NH-17). The Konkan railway also connects to these places
by train along with Delhi and Jaipur.
Roads in Ratnagiri city as well as in many villages is at par above average compared to road
conditions in Mumbai.
Many Volvo Bus plying towards Goa from Mumbai will always alight at Hatkhamba or
Sangameshwar.
Mumbai Goa National Highway does not run through Ratnagiri city whereas it crosses 13 km
away from Ratnagiri at Hatkhamba, and the point of access to Ratnagiri city is Hatkhamba.
Ratnagiri-Nagpur National Highway NH-204 connects Ratnagiri to important cities like
Kolhapur, Sangli, Solapur, Nanded, Nagpur and eastern parts of India.
There are two MSRTC bus stations. One is the main bus station frequently called Madhyvarti
bus stand, and the other is just 1 km ahead of Main bus station called Rahataghar.
Rahataghar bus station is responsible for MSRTC services moving towards south or east of
Ratnagiri, whereas Main Bus stand is responsible for MSRTC services moving towards north
and connecting buses to different villages in Ratnagiri.
MSRTC runs intercity bus service from Ratnagiri to Chiplun, Ratnagiri to Sawantwadi,
Ratnagiri to Kolhapur. Also MSRTC runs intercity bus service from Mumbai to Ratnagiri &
very few Ratnagiri to Goa, Ratnagiri to Pune.
Although there are lots of MSRTC intercity bus services, there are few private tourists buses
such as Ghatge Patil, Mukund Krupa, Sairatna, Ashwini etc. bus services which ply towards
Mumbai & Pune.

Most important cities from MSRTC point of view in Ratnagiri Distrcits are Mandangad,
Dapoli, Khed, Guhagar, Chiplun, Sangameshwar, Ratngairi, Lanja, Rajapur.
Railways
Ratnagiri station is one of the most important stations on the Konkan Railway. The nearest
railway junctions are Pune and Kolhapur on the central railway. The Ratnagiri railway station
is situated at a distance of 6 km from Ratnagiri city on NH-204. Nearly every train running on
Konkan Railway stops at Ratnagiri Station.
Most frequently used trains to reach Ratnagiri from Mumbai are 10111 Mumbai Madgaon
Konkankannya Express, 11003 Dadar Sawantwadi Express, 10103 Mumbai Madgaon
Mandovi Express, 12051 Mumbai Madgaon Janshatabdi Express, 16345 Mumbai
Trivandrum Netravati Express, 12619 Mumbai Mangalore Matsyagandha Express & 12201
Mumbai Kochuveli Garibrath Express.
Also there are two passenger trains 50105 Diva Sawantawadi Passenger train. To catch this
train one can catch any suburban train from Mumbai moving towards Kalyan and get down at
Diva station another poassenger train is 50103 Dadar Ratnagiri Passenger. 50103 halts at
Dadar, Thane, Diva so one can opt any nearest station to board the train.
All the trains on this route runs have two time tables a monsoon time table (usually running
from 1 June to 31 October), where trains usually run at a reduced speed, and a regular
timetable when trains usually run at normal speed.
The fastest train on this route is 12431 Hazrat Nizamuddin Trivandrum Rajdhani Express
and the second fastest train to ply MAdgaon is 12051 Mumbai CST Madgaon Kokankannya
Express which takes hardly 8 hours to reach Goa with two classes of journey ( one is 2S
commonly known as Second Seating with a fare about Rs. 200/- whereas second is CC
commonly known as AC Chair Car with a fare of around Rs. 800/-.
The MSRTC has introduced many bus services from the station to city. The other important
stations in Ratnagiri District are Chiplun, Khed and Vithalwadi. While booking a train ticket
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to Ratnagiri, you should book your ticket a month early because most of the month the trains
are full.
KarbudeTunnel: One of the Asia's longest tunnels, 6608 meters long, this is situated 5 km
before Ratnagiri station from Mumbai. A monument has been built in front of Ratnagiri
Railway station in remembrance of the people who lost their lives building this tunnel.
Ratnagiri also has a small sea port. Ratnagiri Airport currently has no scheduled services.
Prime attractions
PirBabarshekhUrusatHatisnearVillageTonade: There is a Urus of Pir Babarshekh at
Hatis every year, a small village situated near village Tonade near the bank of Kajali river.
Thousands of people visit here on Magh Pornima to take blessings.
RajapurGanga: The site of Rajapur Ganga is three km from nearby Rajapur. According to a
theory by some geologists, the Ganges is a rare phenomenon of a large natural siphon from a
nearby mountain. There are fourteen blackstone "kunda" (pools), each about 2.25 feet
(0.69 m) deep, mutually about three feet apart in the region. Fragrant waters of Rajapur Ganga
appear once about every three years in great force from one of the pools, and stay for about
two months. The temperature of water is different in the fourteen pools.
Marleshwar: This is a holy place for Hindus where the temple of Lord Shiva is located
70 km away from Ratnagiri near Devrukh. The temple is actually inside a cave. A waterfall is
located nearby. Hindus believe that Lord Shiva moved from Maral village to Marleshwar
when the Mughal emperor attacked the Konkan region and was threatening to destroy Hindu
temples.
ThibaPalace: The Thiba Palace was built in 191011 for the 191116 stay there in exile of
the king and the queen of Burma(Myanmar). The place has tombs of the royal couple. The
Government Polytechnic Ratnagiri functioned from Thiba palace, for a few years, it has
subsequently shifted to its own premises.

MandaviBeach: Mandavi Beach is also known as the Gate Way of Ratnagiri. It is 3 km away
from MSRTC ST stand. Any one can hire an auto to reach the destination.
BhatyeBeach: This beach is located on the Ratnagiri Pawas road and this beach has large
suru-ban. The important thing of the Bhatye beach is that Mandavi and Bhatye beach are
divided by a creek.
MirkarwadaBeach: It is the coastal station for marine professionals; all the fishing boats
and trawlers land here. It is the major trading spot in Ratnagiri for marine industry. Most of
the fishes from here are exported to other city markets such as Mumbai, Pune, Goa,
Bangaluru, and Mangalore.
Mlgund: The Marathi poet, Keshavsut, was born in the village of Malgund. His house has
recently been renovated and converted into a students' dormitory. The "Marthi Shitya
Parishad" (Marathi Literature Society) has constructed a monument called "Keshavsut
Smrak" in Malgund.
Jaigad: This 17th-century fort is located on a cliff at the entrance of the Sangameshwar river,
and it offers a view of the sea. Jay Gad's sea fort is situated at a sheltered bay.
Pawas: Pawas achieved prominence after Swami Swaroopnand, a recent influential religious
leader in Maharashtra, settled in this town. His residence has now been converted into an
"shram".
AtulitBalDham: Atulit Bal Dham is a holy place. This sacred Dham is managed by Sadguru
Shree Aniruddha Upasana Trust, Mumbai. It is located at TRP, near petrol pump, just 1 km off
the main road in Ratnagiri city. Panchamukhi Hanuman is the deity in this Dham. Devotees
believe they get incredible Bal (physical, mental and spiritual power) after visiting this Dham.
The total area is of around 2 acres (8,100 m2).
Velneshwar: Velneshwar is located 170 km from Ratnagiri. Its adjoining beach is clean and
lined with coconut trees. It is possible to swim in the nearby sea because it is free of rocks.
There is a well-known Shiva temple near Velneshwar.
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RatnaDurg: This fort was built during the Bahamani rule. In 1670, Shivaji conquered the
fort from Bijapur ruler Adil Shah. In 1790, one Dhondu Bhaskar Pratinidhi rebuilt the fort,
and strengthened its ramparts. The fort has the shape of a horseshoe, with a length of 1,300
meters and a width of 1,000 meters. The Arabian Sea surrounds it on its three sides. One of
the fort's bastions, "Siddha Buruj", has a lighthouse which was built many years ago in 1867
and rebuilt to its present form in 1962. A temple of Goddess Bhagwati is located inside the
fort.
Ganpatipule: Ganapatipule is 21 kilometres from Ratnagiri on the way to "Malgund". It has a
well-known Ganesha temple. It also has a beautiful beach. MTDC resorts are right beside the
beach to stay. Parashurm Temple (nearChiplun):Thistemplewasbuiltin1685by
MaharshiBrahmendra.
ShivasamarthGad: (at Sawarde near Chiplun) Contains sculptures from Shivaji's times.
NivaliWaterfall: This waterfall located between the valleys of Nivali Ghats on Mumbai Goa
National Highway NH17. It can be seen only during monsoon season and it one of the sight
seeing in Ratngiri District.
Caves in Chiplun, Khed, Dabhol, Sangameshwar, Gauhani Velgaum, and Vade Padel: The
Buddhist legend in the Papanch, Sudan, and Srath Appakasini records the conversion of
Konkan residents to Buddhism during the lifetime of Gautama (BC 560-481). Caves in
Chiplun, Kol, and Pabol indicate that the "sarthawalas" (caravan-men) rested in some of them.

KingofMangoesinRatnagiri
A visit to Alphonso mango farms on the western coast of India confirms that a mango is never
just a mango
"Have you come about mangoes? asks a man before I am fully out of my car. Its uncanny
how everyone in this town seems to anticipate that my presence has something to do with
the fruit.
I am in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, home to the Alphonso mango -- also known as the King of
Indian mangoes.
From March to July, India produces more than 1,000 varieties of mango. But none of them are
as desirable as the Alphonso. Loyalists swear by its rich creaminess. The flesh is saffroncolored and without a hint of fiber. The taste is exquisitely sweet, with none of the tartness or
coyness of its cousins.
Every summer, before the monsoon season, India goes mad for the Alphonso. The national
obsession is on par with Bollywood and cricket. Hot afternoons are punctuated by cries of
"Haaapuuus!" floating through open windows. "Hapus," pronounced with a silent "h," is how
the mango is locally known.
Mothers send cartons of hapus to their married daughters homes to sweeten up the in-laws.
Couriers, like DHL, start a special "Mango Express" service to deliver Alphonsos.
Newspapers begin a series of anxiety-ridden articles about the health of the crop.
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Such mango mania serves to make the Alphonso one of the most expensive mangoes. During
peak season in Mumbai, people think nothing of forking out as much as Rs 1,000 (US$18) for
a dozen.
The mango bubble recently burst when prices crashed to as low as Rs 1000 for four dozen.
There's never been a better time to eat Alphonso.
I made sure my pockets were amply lined before embarking on a trip to the fruit's home,
the narrow strip of land on the Konkan coast that can accurately claim to produce genuine
Alphonsos.
The Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Raigad districts of Maharashtra together have around 130,000
hectares dedicated to Alphonso cultivation. Almost everyone I spoke with in the region claims
to have at least one Alphonso tree in their backyard or some family involved in the business of
cultivating mangoes.
Mangoes grown in Ratnagiri district, the largest producer, carry the geographical indication
(GI) tagand are the official mangoes given as state gifts to visiting VIPs.

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Export of Alphonso (mango) from Ratnagiri

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Alphonsomangoes (local name:Hapoos) are grown mainly in

the Devgad,Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri districts ofMaharashtra and the Valsad district
ofGujarat, India.
Alphonso (known as Hapoos in Marathi) is a seasonal mango cultivar that is considered
as one of the best in terms of sweetness, richness and flavor. It has considerable shelf life of a
week after it is ripe making it exportable. It is also one of the most expensive kinds of mango
and is grown mainly in western India. It is a seasonal fruit with each mango weighing
between 150g and 300g each. This variety of mango has a very short season of about two
months from the end of March till end May when the monsoon sets in the Konkan Region.

HistoryofMangoesinRatnagiri

Dense Plantation of Alphonso Mangoes

The Alphonso Mango is named after Afonso de Albuquerque. This was an exquisite and
expensive variety of mango, that he used to bring on his journeys to Goa. The locals took to
calling it Aphoos in Konkani and in Gujarati and Maharashtra the pronunciation got further
transformed to Hapoos. This variety then was taken to the region of Maharashtra, South &
central Gujarat and other parts of India.

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Regions
The southern district of Mahrashtra Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg including regions around the
Dapoli and Devgad Talukas, the southern districts of Valsad and Navsari in Gujarat state are
the main regions where this mango is grown.The quality of the produce differs from northern
areas to the southern districts as a result of the climatic changes.In Gujarat and Maharashtra,
the finest fruit comes from a narrow strip of about 20 km from the seashore along the Konkan
coast. The Alphonso Mango does not grow out of a seed. If you plant the seed after eating the
fruit, you will get a mango tree, but it will bear mango fruits of a different variety. The
journey of this Mango begins as a small twig cut out from the mother plant.It is then grafted
on to a stem that has grown out of a mango seed of a sturdy variety.Some times one twig is
planted into a combination of two stems from two seeds.It is planted into a plastic bag and put
under intensive care for the next four years.It is kept in the bag for some months and then
planted into a tin-can until it grows to a height of about 5 feet till about the fourth year. Only
three out of five survive till the fourth year. In the fourth year, the bags are cut out and the
little tree is planted in the orchard. Only four out of five survive till the sixth year.Over the
next three-four years, the tree needs good care, with regular pruning so that it grows sideways,
equally all around.It starts bearing good fruit since the ninth year. Since its a grafted tree and
well maintained, you have fruits hanging between 0 to 25 feet from the ground.The maturity
of this mango is defined in Indias traditional anna system of currency, where 16 annas make
up a rupee. A 16 anna Mango is a 100% mature mango. Alphonso fruits are harvested at 14
anna level of maturity, by expert harvesters, who have acquired, by experience, the skill of
identifying mature fruits from distances that can go as much as 25 feet. The fruit is harvested
using a tool called zela in the local language. It is a loose nylon-net basket held by metal
ring, and attached to a bamboo pole which has a sharp V-shaped cutting tool at the front of the
ring.The harvester tugs at the zela in a specific and careful manner, which does not disturb
other fruits held from the same branch, does not result in any pull for the branch and yet cuts
the stem from which the fruit is held, ensuring that a significant part of the fruit stem is still
intact with the fruit. The fruits are taken out, and laid into a crate and immediately moved into
a cool, shady place so as to shield the fruits from sunlight and heat.Most farmers get the crates
of harvested fruits directly to the co-operative society, where they are graded, sorted and the
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farmer is paid accordingly.During the sorting process, each fruit is manually checked for hit
marks, bird fly stings, pest scrape marks, sap burns, and other anomalies. After sorting, the
mangoes are graded according to their weights.The fruit is then finally dispatched to the end
consumer through wholesale fruit markets. The Devgad Alphonso is also amongst the most
expensive sub-breeds of Alphonso.
The Alphonso is generally referred to as 'Hapoos' throughout South Asia. Haapus is used to
make sweets, candies and smoothies - Mango Milkshake, Mango Lassi (both smoothies),
Aamba-Wadi (a somewhat chewy sweet), Aam-Ras (Mango pulp which is eaten with puris an Indian Bread), Keri-no-Ras (Mango Pulp as known in Gujarati), Sakhar Amba (Marathi
word for a home-made mango jelly/jam), Mango barfi (see Barfi), etc.
Non aerated Mango drinks like Frooti (Parle Agro Co.), Jumpin (Godrej Industries Ltd),
Maaza (Coca Cola Co.), Dukes Mangola and Slice (PepsiCo Inc.) are very popular in India.
Many other local brands are also available.
U.S. import ban removed
In April 2007, the United States lifted its ban on the import of Indian mangoes, including the
Alphonso. The first batch of Alphonso mangoes arrived in the U.S. after an 18 year hiatus.
However, the mangoes must be treated before entering the country in order to stop the
introduction of non-native fruit flies, destructive fungi, and other pests that could cause great
damage to American agriculture. Individuals cannot bring mangoes into the United States in
luggage or ship them by mail.
Devgad, also known as Deogad, is a coastal town in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtrastate
in western India. It is a taluka within the Sindhudurg District and comprises around 70
villages. Devgad is globally famous for its Alphonso mangoes, that are exported from here
every year. The Alphonso mango grown here is characterised by a distinct aroma, smooth
exterior, thin skin and thick saffron pulp. It is different than the Ratnagiri Alphonso. Such is
the popularity of the Devgad Alphonso Mango that vendors often pass off other similar
looking mangoes under the name of Devgad.

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Devgad Alphonso Mango is grown on an area of 45000 acres and reached production of about
50000 tons in a year of decent production. Devgad is also home to the oldest and biggest cooperative society of mango farmers in India, called the Devgad Taluka Amba Utpadak
Sahakari Sanstha Ltd, with 700 members and 25-year-old in 2013.
Devgad is located on the Arabian Sea in the coastal Konkan region of Maharashtra, south
ofMumbai.
It is noted for its harbor, its beach, and a lighthouse built in 1915 at the Deogad fort.Shilahara
dynasty Raja Bhoja II constructed Fort Vijaydurga (Gheria), ruled later by Adil Shah and
eventually by King Shivaji and lastly Kanhoji Angre. Peshwas is the Indian national
monument situated 45 minutes by road from the main city of Deogad. Fort Vijaydurga, named
the "Eastern Gibraltar" because of its virtual impregnability, was impressive as seen by
British, Dutch, Portuguese armies and travellers 400 years ago and even today as seen by
visitors. The nearest railway station is Kankavli on Konkan Railway on Mumbai-Goa road.
From Kankavli, one can get autorickshaw and state transport buses to reach DeogadVijaydurga. There is a wall under the sea at shores of the Vijaydurga built such that an
enemy's ships, trying to attack, would crash and sink[citation needed].
Devgad is also widely known for its pure Alphonso mango cultivation/farming and the whole
development has evolved due to undertaking of the cultivation of Alphonso mango farming. A
majority of farmers are converting from rice cultivation to mango cultivation in the Western
Konkan Region of Maharashtra, alongside the Arabian Sea Western Coast. Due to callous
approach of Indian government most of the famous ports have remained undeveloped. Hence,
transportation by sea has been left untapped.
Fishing is carried out on a large scale in the sea as well as in the creeks throughout the
Deogad taluka region. The staple diet of this region is rice and fish.
The first windmill projects in Maharashtra are installed at Vijaydurga, Deogad. There is a
temple dedicated to the goddess Devi Bhagwati at the village of Munge. There are temples to
God Vishweswarayya and Swami Kartikaswamy at Hindale village which are the very oldest
in Maharashtra. A small village known as Jamsande is situated near to Devgad. It is
15

approximately 4 km from the Devgad bus stand.Devgad is slowly becoming a tourist hot spot
for tourists who want to avoid Goa beaches.This is perfect for family outing in a peaceful and
calm backdrop. Tourists can do snorkeling,beach camping,boat cruise,visit Vijay Durg and
Sindhu Durg, the famous forts, and also visit the Konkan village and have Malwan dinner.
The western coastline is highly sensitive, hence recently, Government of India installed static
radar and electro-optic sensors at Devgad Lighthouse as a part of first of a coastal surveillance
network. Devgad is one out of 46 locations chosen for the network and envisages real-time
surveillance cover up to 25 nautical miles.

Alphonso is the most delicious variety of mango. It is known for its golden hue, taste and
aroma and accounts for nearly 60% of the mango export trade from India. The Konkan region
of Maharashtra, especially Ratnagiri and Devgad, produces the best quality Alphonso
mangoes.
Our Indian Alphonso mangoes are imported directly from our family-owned farms in the
Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra, India.
The Alphonso mangoes from Konkan are available only during the months of March, April
and May. Each mango weighs between 200 grams to 300 grams. No other mango variety
beats the superior quality of Alphonso mango.
Maharashtra state government has been actively involved in promoting and controlling the
quality of mangoes being exported.
Mangoes 4 US strictly follows the guidelines set by the Agricultural & Processed Food
Products Export Development Authority (APEDA). Only Good-looking and healthy mangoes
with sufficient stalk length are harvested at the mango grooves. All the mangoes are carefully
inspected before packing. All damaged, diseased, over-ripen or rotten fruit is physically
segregated and not approved for export. The mangoes selected for export are then washed and
cleaned with a mild detergent and given post-harvest hot water fungicidal dipping at 52 C for
3-4 minutes. Each individual fruit of mango is enclosed in a clean, white, soft, expandable and
16

netted type polystyrene sleeve to prevent bruising before packing in an insect-proof box.
The labeled boxes are carried to the Irradiation facility. Each consignment of mangoes is
inspected jointly by Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, US Department of Agriculture
(USDA-APHIS) and National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO) of India. Few selected
cartons and fruits are thoroughly inspected for quarantine pests such as fruit flies. Few
numbers of fruits are cut and examined for internal feeders such as weevils. The mangoes are
then treated in India with irradiation as a condition of entry into USA.
Currently only one plant KRUSHAK (Krushi Utpadan Sanrakshan Kendra meaning Agro
Produce Preservation Center) is being used for irradiation processing of mango for export to
the U.S.
As per the specifications for export to USA, the Alphonso mango should weigh between 250
and 300 grams. However, APEDA does not approve the gross weight of box to exceed 3.5 kg
(7.7 lbs). This puts a limit on the size of the mangoes in the box.
Indian mangoes are permitted import in commercial consignments only.

RipeningandStorage
To ripen mangoes, keep them in their shipping box with the lid on at room temperature.
If the box is not good, discard it and store the mangoes in paper bags.
While they may be ready to eat when they arrive, it usually takes a few more days for them to
ripen fully. Check them daily. A ripe Alphonso mango will have a golden hue and a sweet
aroma. Once ripe, you may refrigerate the mangoes for few days. Refrigeration slows the
ripening process, but doesn't stop it entirely. So be sure to enjoy your mangoes within two to
three days. You may also freeze mango chunks to make pulp later.
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Storage temperature for mangoes is 13 C (55.4 F). Do not refrigerate raw mangoes.
Avoid storing in plastic bags. Avoid extreme temperatures.
Just like any other fruit, mango is perishable. Once received or picked up they should be
consumed within two to three days.

SpongyTissue
Alphonso mango may develop Spongy tissue (pale yellow/white, corky tissue). It can be
detected only after cutting the fruit open. We take extreme care of our groves to reduce the
incidence of this disorder. Scientists at Konkan Krushi Vidyapeeth(Konkan Agriculture
University) in Dapoli and other Horticulture institutions in India have conducted many
investigations over the past decades to understand the cause of this disorder. However, they
have not been able to come out with any concrete solution for it. Since the Fruits affected by
this disorder do not show any external symptoms, it still poses a challenge for quality control
in export.

NutritionFacts
The following statements have been reviewed and approved by USDA following FDA
guidelines for nutrition statements:

Mangoes are an excellent source of vitamins C and A, both important antioxidant

nutrients. Vitamin C promotes healthy immune function and collagen formation.
Vitamin A is important for vision and bone growth.

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Mangoes are a good source of dietary fiber. Diets low in fat and high in fibercontaining grain products, fruits, and vegetables are associated with a reduced risk of
some types of cancer.

Mangoes contain over 20 different vitamins and minerals.

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Marine Products Export Development Authority

The MarineProductsExportDevelopmentAuthority (MPEDA) was constituted in 1972
under the Marine Products Export Development Authority Act 1972 (No.13 of 1972). The role
envisaged for the MPEDA under the statute is comprehensive - covering fisheries of all kinds,
increasing exports, specifying standards, processing, marketing, extension and training in
various aspects of the industry.
MPEDA functions under the Department of Commerce, Government of India and acts as a
coordinating agency with different Central and State Government establishments engaged in
fishery production and allied activities.[1]
Services Offered by MPEDA Registration of infrastructure facilities for Seafood Export
trade Collection and dissemination of trade information Projection of Indian marine
products in overseas markets by participation in overseas fairs and organising international
seafood fairs in India Implementation of development measures vital to the industry like
distribution of insulated fish boxes, putting up fish landing platforms, improvement of peeling
sheds, modernisation of industry such as upgrading of plate freezers, installation of IQF
machinery, generator sets, ice making machineries, quality control laboratory etc. Promotion
of brackish water aquaculture for production of prawn for export. Promotion of deep sea
fishing projects through test fishing, joint venture and equity participation.

20

Fishes exported from Dapoli

Dapoli is a city in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra in India.
Dapoli is 215 km away from Mumbai. It is also called the "Mini Mahabaleshwar"
(Mahabaleshwar is a hill station in Maharashtra) because of its cool climate throughout the
year. Dapoli is also the city which gave birth to many historic idols includingLokmanya
Tilak, Sane Guruji, Maharshi Dhondo Keshav Karve, Wrangler Paranjape. It is close to
the Arabian Sea (approx 8 km away) and acts as the main town (Taluka Headquarters) for
several other small surrounding villages such as Anjarle, Sarang, Bhopan, Harnai, Dabhol,
Navse (Bharti Ship Yard), Unhavare, Jalgaon, Gavhe, Gimhavane, Asud, Vanand, Kherdi,
Karde, Murud and Umberghar. Jalgaon, a village in Dapoli, was awarded the "sant gadgebaba
gram swachatta" award for cleanest village by the Maharashtra government. Dapoli is
nowadays developing as a tourist destination due its climate, tourist places, beaches, and
scenery.
Dapoli is separated from the Sayhadri range by the Khed taluka. Dapoli has a seaboard of
50 km which stretches from Burondi, Kelshi to Dabhol. The coastline differs little in its
general characteristics from that of other parts of Kokan. It is densely covered by coconut
farms. The principal rivers are Bharja in the north and Vashishthi in the south. There is also a
small river called Jog which flows through Sarang, Tadil, and into the Arabian sea.
Despite being only 7 km away from the coast of Arabian sea, the town is located at an altitude
of around 800 feet (240 m).
21

Dapoli was the first Nagar Panchayat in India.

Education
The town has a very old school named after British citizen Alfred Gadney. It is popularly
know as A G High School, Dapoli. Mr. Madhav T Talathi (Talathi Sir) was longest serving
principal of that school from 1968 to1988. During the time of the English empire, Dapoli was
22

a military camp for British soldiers. Jeevan Kshishan Shala (Gadital), Kanya Shala,Purva
Prathmik Shala, Saraswati Vidyamandir English Medium School,Urdu Highschool and also
having English Medium school backside of Radhakrushna Mandir. Dapoli is also the home
ofagricultural university Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth.
Dapoli has a Centre for Krishna Consciousness movement,[citation needed] youth programs for
Agriculture, under-graduate homeopathic college (Dapoli Homeopathic Medical College) and
Ramraje Engineering colleges.
In city Dapoli having Boarding hostel school like Bahujan Hitay Vidyaarthy Vastigruh at
Kond, Girls hostel at near Urban Bank & other one is situated near Jalgaon village.
Notable residents
Dapoli is considered the birthplace of Bharat Ratna Maharshi Annasaheb Karve(Murud),Sane
Guruji, and Lokmanya Tilak(Chikhalgaon), his wife(Ladghar)and Bharat Ratna P.V. Kane.
Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar has studied for few years in Alfred Gadney
Highschool (A. G. Highschool) near jalgaon village.
SuvarnadurgandKanakdurgForts-Harne
Located 17 km from Dapoli at Harnai, the Suvarnadurg fort consists of two forts. Kanakdurga
is the land fort and Suvarnadurga is the sea fort. The forts were originally built by the Adil
Shahi dynasty and later captured and fortified by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1660. Once
there was a tunnel connecting both the forts but now the only way to get to Suvarnadurga is
by boat. However, currently there is no regular boat service to the fort and one has to arrange
for a ferry from the local fishermen. There is a lighthouse inside the Kanakdurga fort.
PanhalekajiCaves
Located on the Dapoli-Dabhil Pangari road is a place called Panhalekaji and can also be
accessed from Khed via Vakavali & Tetavali. The Leni or caves at Panhalekaji are a mustsee. You can drive up to the caves. The place is situated deep in the valley near the confluence
of the Kotjai and Dhakti rivers. You can watch many birds and reptiles in the surrounding
23

jungle and river. There are 29 caves and many sculptures around the area. The whole area is
very beautiful. according to villager there are 15 to 16 crockodials in river.
Unhavare-HotWaterSprings
There are natural hot water springs at Unhavare Village, which is 35 km from Dapoli (Near
Panhalekaji caves). Unhavare, 21 km from Vakavali & 17 km from Tetavali's is Dr. Deodhar
farms (called keshav Baug) Dr Deodhar is a Expert In Algae from Bombay University, Has a
guest house for tourists. The Hot springs are its only attraction. Lots of people from
surrounding areas come here regularly to bath in the Hot Sulphur water springs. Separate
shelters are made for men and women to take a dip in the rejuvenating hot water. The water is
said to cure skin ailments. There are no charges for taking a bath here. There is a small masjid
as well as school opposite to hot water. There is also "MahamaiGramDevataMandir" as
well as "VidyaMandirHighSchool,starwincricketground&Beautiful granad mosque
farare" and good Hotel of Mr. Latif Naik at Unhavre ST stand.
KadyavarchaGanpati
This Ganesh temple is at Anjarle village which comes under Dapoli taluka. Anjarle is famous
for the "KadyawarchaGanpati" (Ganesh temple situated on a cliff). This ancient and
magnificent Ganesh temple was originally constructed using wooden pillars in around
1150AD. It was renovated during the period between 1768 and 1780. At one time, people
used to cross Anjarle creek (Jog River) in a boat and then climb the hill using steps that go
through the Anjarle village. Recently a bridge has been constructed and you can take your car
right up to the entrance of the temple.
The Ganesh idol is right-sided. This means that its trunk curves towards the right, ("Ujwya
SondechaGanpati") which is very rare. Kadyawarcha Ganpati is the live deity (a jagrut
daiwat) who responds to distress calls of common people (nawsala pavnara Ganpati). The
temple has a stone staircase on the right hand side to reach to the top of the temple (Kalas).
You can get a magnificent view of the thick plantation of coconut trees, betel nut trees,
Suvarnadurg Fort, blue sea and surrounding hills from the top. There is a pond in front of the

24

temple where you can feed big fish and turtles. Beside the Ganesh temple there is a small but
beautiful temple of Lord Shiva.
Keshavraj
This location is between Dapoli and Asud Pul. It is said that this temple is "pandavkaleen"
meaning that it has its origin more than 1000 years ago. The access is via Dabkewadi and after
crossing the small river, the steep climb is refreshing. At this elevation, the fresh water is a
marvel and is said to be originating from a tree trunk. this fresh water flows for 24/7 and
throughout the year. The SHREE KESHAVRAJ "murti" is worth the darshan.
HarneFishMarket
Harne fish market is assumed to be one of the largest supplier of fish to Maharashtra and also
Export. Many kinds of fishes including lobsters are to be seen in the market. There is a
Auction carried on daily basis on the beach.
MurudBeach
Murud is a small town on the sea coast, about 12 kilometers from Dapoli. It boasts of one of
the most beautiful and longest beach inKonkan region.
One can also go for watching Dolphins little far away from the beach, on the local ferry
available.
At the centre of the town is the Durga Devi Temple. This temple was built in the 18th century
and has 28 exquisitely carved wooden pillars supporting the main porch. On the left of the
entrance is a huge bell. This is supposed to have been captured by Chimji appaPeshwa from
the Portuguese in Vasai.
Dhondo Keshav Karve was born in Murud. The town's main square has a bust of this great
personality.

25

ExportsofFishFromDabhol
Dabhol is a port which is 28 km away from Dapoli. The famous Dabhol Power Station is
erected near Dabhol by Enron, Which is now known as Ratnagiri Gas and Power private
limited. Ratnagiri Gas and Power Private limited (RGPPL) was incorporated under the
Companies Act, 1956 on 8 July 2005 and is promoted by NTPC Limited and GAIL (India)
Limited. The company was set up to take over and revive the assets of Dabhol Power
Company Project. RGPPL owns an Integrated Power generation and Re-gasified LNG
facility. The power station is India's largest operating gas based combined cycle power station.
Bharati Shipyard Ltd operates from the port.
There is an ancient temple Chandika Devi temple.

26

Near to Dabhol there is a small village named Navse where the Bharti Ship Yard has
developed and there is a Darga on the hill's of Navse which is called Balla pir which is
attractive tourist to go there.

Fishes exported from Sindhudurg district

Sindhudurg (Marathi: ) is an administrative district in the state

ofMaharashtra in India, which was carved out of the erstwhile Ratnagiri District. The district
27

headquarters are located at Oros (). The district occupies an area of 5207 km and has
a population of 868,825 of which 9.47% were urban (as of 2001).
As of 2011 it is the least populous district of Maharashtra (out of 39).
Fisheries
Sea Coast Length 121 KM Fishing Area 16000 km2. Main Fisheries Centers - (8) Vijaydurg,
Devgad, Achara, Malvan, Sarjekot, Kochara, Vengurla, Shiroda Fisherman Population 25365
Total Fish Production 19273 M. Tons Fisheries Co.Op. Soc. 34 (Total Members 14216)
FishinginIndia is a major industry in its coastal states, employing over 14 million people.
Fish production in India has increased more than tenfold since its independence in 1947.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, fish output
in India doubled between 1990 and 2010.
India has 8,118 kilometers of marine coastline, 3,827 fishing villages, and 1,914 traditional
fish landing centers. India's fresh water resources consist of 195,210 kilometers
of rivers andcanals, 2.9 million hectares of minor and major reservoirs, 2.4 million hectares
of ponds andlakes, and about 0.8 million hectares of flood plain wetlands and water bodies.
[2]

As of 2010, the marine and freshwater resources offered a combined sustainable catch

fishing potential of over 4 million metric tonnes of fish. In addition, India's water and natural
resources offer a tenfold growth potential in aquaculture (farm fishing) from 2010 harvest
levels of 3.9 million metric tonnes of fish, if India were to adopt fishing knowledge,
regulatory reforms, andsustainability policies adopted by China over the last two decades.
The marine fish harvested in India consist of about 65 commercially important
species/groups. Pelagic and midwater species contributed about 52% of the total marine fish
in 2004.
India is a major supplier of fish in the world. In 2006 the country exported over 600,000
metric tonnes of fish, to some 90 countries, earning over $1.8 billion. Shrimps are one of the
major varieties exported. The giant tiger prawn (Penaeus monodon) is the dominant species
28

chosen for aquaculture, followed by the Indian white prawn (Fenneropenaeus indicus).
Shrimp production from coastal aquaculture during 2004 stood at approximately 120,000
tonnes. Farmed shrimp accounted for about 60% of shrimp exported from the country.
Marine and freshwater catch fishing combined with aquaculture fish farming is a rapidly
growing industry in India. In 2008 India was the sixth largest producer of marine and
freshwater capture fisheries, and the second largest aquaculture farmed fish producer in the
world. Fish as foodboth from fish farms and catch fisheriesoffers India one of the easiest
and fastest way to address malnutrition and food security.
Despite rapid growth in total fish production, a fish farmers average annual production in
India is only 2 metric tonnes per person, compared to 172 tonnes in Norway, 72 tonnes
inChile, and 6 tonnes per fisherman in China. Higher productivity, knowledge transfer for
sustainable fishing, continued growth in fish production with increase in fish exports have the
potential for increasing the living standards of Indian fishermen.
As of 2010, fish harvest distribution was difficult within India because of poor rural road
infrastructure, lack of cold storage and absence of organized retail in most parts of the
country.
In 2013, with access to Sri Lankan waters closed after the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of
Tamil Eelam, Indian fishers quickly overfished their own waters and production plummeted.

HistoryofFishries

29

Fishing and aquaculture in India has a long history. Kautilya's Arthashastra (321300 B.C.)
and King Someswara's Manasottara (1127 A.D.) each refer to fish culture. For centuries, India
has had a traditional practice of fish culture in small ponds in Eastern India. Significant
advances in productivity were made in the state of West Bengal in the early nineteenth
century with the controlled breeding of carp in Bundhs (tanks or impoundments where river
conditions are simulated). Fish culture received notable attention in Tamil Nadu (formerly the
state of Madras) as early as 1911, subsequently, states such as West Bengal, Punjab, Uttar
Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh initiated fish culture through the
establishment of Fisheries Departments. In 2006, Indian central government initiated a
dedicated organization focussed on fisheries, under its Ministry of Agriculture.
Brackishwater farming in India is also an age-old system confined mainly to
the Bheries(manmade impoundments in coastal wetlands) of West Bengal and pokkali (salt
resistant deepwater paddy) fields along the Kerala coast. With no additional knowledge and
technology input, except that of trapping the naturally bred juvenile fish and shrimp seed,
these systems have been sustaining production levels of between 500 and 750 kg/ha/year with
shrimp contributing 20 to 25 percent of the total Indian production.

Growth

30

It rose from only 800,000 tons in FY 1950 to 4.1 million tons in the early 1990s. From 1990
through 2010, Indian fish industry growth has accelerated, reaching a total marine and
freshwater fish production to about 8 million metric tons. Special efforts have been made to
promote extensive and intensive inland fish farming, modernize coastal fisheries, and
encourage deep-sea fishing through joint ventures. These efforts led to a more than fourfold
increase in coastal fish production from 520,000 tons in FY 1950 to 2.4 million tons in
FY 1990. The increase in inland fish production was even more dramatic, increasing almost
eightfold from 218,000 tons in FY 1950 to 1.7 million tons in FY 1990. The value of fish and
processed fish exports increased from less than 1 percent of the total value of exports in
FY 1960 to 3.6 percent in FY 1993.
Between 1990 to 2007, fish production in India has grown at a higher rate than food
grains,milk, eggs, and other food items.

Economicbenefits
Fishing in India contributed over 1 percent of India's annual gross domestic product in 2008.
Catch fishing in India employs about 14.5 million people. The country's rich marine and
inland water resources, fisheries and aquaculture offer an attractive and promising sector for
employment, livelihood, and food security. Fish products from India are well received by
almost half of world's countries, creating export-driven employment opportunities in India
and greater food security for the world. During the past decades the Indian fisheries and
aquaculture has witnessed improvements in craft, tackle and farming methods. Creation of
31

required harvest and post-harvest infrastructure has been receiving due attention of the central
and state governments. All this has been inducing a steady growth.
To harvest the economic benefits from fishing, India is adopting exclusive economic zone,
stretching 200 nautical miles (370 km) into the Indian Ocean, encompasses more than
2 million square kilometers. In the mid-1980s, only about 33 percent of that area was being
exploited. The potential annual catch from the area has been estimated at 4.5 million tons. In
addition to this marine zone, India has about 14,000 km of brackish water available for
aquaculture, of which only 600 km were being farmed in the early 1990s; about 16,000 km
of freshwater lakes, ponds, and swamps; and nearly 64,000 kilometers of rivers andstreams.
In 1990, there were 1.7 million full-time fishermen, 1.3 million part-time fishermen, and
2.3 million occasional fishermen, many of whom worked as saltmakers, ferrymen, or seamen,
or operated boats for hire. In the early 1990s, the fishing fleet consisted of 180,000 traditional
craft powered by sails or oars, 26,000 motorized traditional craft, and some 34,000
mechanized boats.

Aquaculture

Carp - a commonly farmed fish in India

India laid the foundation for scientific carp farming in the country between 1970 and 1980, by
demonstrating high production levels of 8 to 10 tonnes/hectare/year in an incubation center.
The late 1980s saw the dawn of aquaculture in India and transformed fish culture into a more
32

modern enterprise. With economic liberalization of early 1990s, fishing industry got a major
investment boost.
India's breeding and culture technologies include primarily different species of carp; other
species such as catfish, murrels and prawns are recent additions.
The culture systems adopted in the country vary greatly depending on the input available in
any particular region as well as on the investment capabilities of the farmer. While extensive
aquaculture is carried out in comparatively large water bodies with stocking of the fish seed as
the only input beyond utilising natural productivity, elements of fertilisation and feeding have
been introduced into semi-intensive culture. The different culture systems in Indian practice
include:

Intensive pond culture with supplementary feeding and aeration (1015 tonnes/ha/yr)

Composite carp culture (46 tonnes/ha/yr)

Weed-based carp polyculture (34 tonnes/ha/yr)

Integrated fish farming with poultry, pigs, ducks, horticulture, etc. (35 tonnes/ha/yr)

Pen culture (35 tonnes/ha/yr)

Cage culture (1015 kg/m/yr)

Running-water fish culture (2050 kg/m/yr)

Aquaculture resources in India include 2.36 million hectares of ponds and tanks, 1.07 million
hectares of beels, jheels and derelict waters plus in addition 0.12 million kilometers of canals,
3.15 million hectares of reservoirs and 0.72 million hectares of upland lakes that could be
utilised for aquaculture purposes. Ponds and tanks are the prime resources for freshwater
aquaculture in India. However, less than 10 percent of India's natural potential is used for
aquaculture currently.
33

The FAO of the United Nations estimates that about 1.2 million hectares of potential
brackishwater area available in India is suitable for farming, in addition to this, around
8.5 million hectares of salt affected areas are also available, of which about 2.6 million
hectares could be exclusively utilised for aquaculture due to the unsuitability of these
resources for other agriculture based activities. However, just like India's fresh water
resources, the total brackishwater area under cultivation is only just over 13 percent of the
potential water area available. India offers opportunities for highly productive farming of
shrimp in its brackishwater resources.
Carp hatcheries in both the public and private sectors have contributed towards the increase in
seed production from 6321 million fry in 19851986 to over 18500 million fry in 2007. There
are 35 freshwater prawn hatcheries in the coastal states producing over 200 million seed per
annum. Furthermore, the 237 shrimp hatcheries with a production capacity of approximately
11.425 billion post larvae per year are meeting the seed requirement of the brackish water
shrimp farming sector.
Freshwater aquaculture activity is prominent in the eastern part of the country, particularly the
states of West Bengal, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh with new areas coming under culture in the
states of Punjab, Haryana, Assam and Tripura. Brackishwater aquaculture is mainly
concentrated on the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal. With
regards to the market, while the main areas of consumption for freshwater fish are in West
Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and northeast India, cultured brackishwater shrimps supply India's fish
export industry.

RajivGandhiCenterforAquaculture(RGCA)
Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Aquaculture is the Research and Development arm of the Marine
Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), which, inspired by the late Prime
Minister Rajiv Gandhis vision of making India a technologically advanced nation, founded
this Centre of Excellence in Aquaculture and dedicated it to the development of the Indian

34

Aquaculture Industry. RGCA is actively involved in the development of various Sustainable

Aquaculture Technologies that are bio-secure, eco-friendly, traceable and with low carbon
outputs, for seed production and grow out farming of various aquatic species, those having
export potential in particular. RGCA is also developing a state-of-the-art technology transfer
and training centre for disseminating the technologies developed at the various projects
established at different locations in the country to the aquaculture industry in India.

Fishing is a diverse industry in India. The table below presents the top ten fish harvesting
states in India, for the 2007-2008 agriculture year.Between 2000 and 2010, the freshwater
prawn farming in India has grown rapidly. The state of Andhra Pradesh dominates the sector
with over 86 percent of the total production in India with approximately 60 percent of the
total water area dedicated to prawn farming, followed by West Bengal. Mixed farming of
freshwater prawn along with carp is also very much accepted as a technologically sound
culture practice and a viable option for enhancing farm income. Thirty five freshwater prawn

35

hatcheries, at present producing about 200 million seed per annum, cater for the requirements
of the country.

Lawandregulations
India has a federal structure of government. According to India's constitution, the power of
enacting laws is split between India's central government and the Indian states. The state
legislatures of India have the power to make laws and regulations with respect to a number of
subject-matters, including water (i.e., water supplies, irrigation and canals, drainage
and embankments, water storage and water power), land (i.e., rights in or over land, land
tenure, transfer, and alienation of agricultural land), fisheries, as well as the preservation,
protection and improvement of stock and the prevention of animal disease. There are many
laws and regulations that may be relevant to fisheries and aquaculture adopted at state level.
At the central level, several key laws and regulations are relevant to fisheries and aquaculture.
These include the British-era Indian Fisheries Act (1897), which penalizes the killing of fish
by poisoning water and by using explosives; the Environment (Protection) Act (1986), being
an umbrella act containing provisions for all environment related issues affecting fisheries and
aquaculture industry in India. India also has enacted the Water (Prevention and Control of
Pollution) Act (1974) and the Wild Life Protection Act (1972). All these legislations must be
read in conjunction with one another, and with the local laws of a specific state, to gain a full
picture of the law and regulations that are applicable to fisheries and aquaculture in India.

Researchandtraining
Fisheries research and training institutions are supported by central and state governments that
deserve much of the credit for the expansion and improvements in the Indian fishing industry.
The principal fisheries research institutions, all of which operate under theIndian Council of
36

Agricultural Research, are the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute at Kochi (formerly
Cochin), Kerala; the Central Inland Fisheries Institute at Barrackpore, West Bengal; and
the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology at Willingdon Islandnear Kochi. Most fishery
training is provided by the Central Institute for Fishery Education in Mumbai, which has
ancillary institutions in Barrackpore, Agra (Uttar Pradesh), and Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh).
The Central Fisheries Corporation in Calcutta is instrumental in bringing about improvements
in fishing methods, ice production, processing, storing, marketing, and constructing and
repairing fishing vessels. Operating under a 1972 law, the Marine Products Export
Development Authority(MPEDA), headquartered in Kochi, has made several market surveys
abroad and has been instrumental in introducing and enforcing hygiene standards that have
gained for Indian fishery export products a reputation for cleanliness and quality.
Programmes

The Government of India launched National Fisheries Development Board in 2006. Its
headquarters are in Hyderabad, located in a fish shaped building. Its activity focus areas are:

Intensive Aquaculture in Ponds and Tanks

37

Fisheries Development in Reservoirs.

Coastal Aquaculture

Mariculture

Seaweed Cultivation

Infrastructure: Fishing Harbours and Landing Centres

Fish Dressing Centres and Solar Drying of Fish

Domestic Marketing

Technology Upgradation

Deep Sea Fishing and Tuna Processing

The implementation of two programs for inland fisheriesestablishing fish farmers'

development agencies and the National Programme of Fish Seed Developmenthas led to
encouragingly increased production, which reached 1.5 million tons during FY 1990, up from
0.9 million tons in FY 1984. A network of 313 fish farmers' development agencies was
functioning in 1992. Under the National Programme of Fish Seed Development, forty fishseed hatcheries were commissioned. Fish-seed production doubled from 5 billion fry in
FY 1983 to 10 billion fry in FY 1989. A new program using organic waste for aquaculture
was started in FY 1986. Inland fish production as a percent of total fish production increased
from 36 percent in FY 1980 to 40 percent by FY 1990.three minor fishing harbors and ninetyfive fish-landing centers are designated to provide landing and berthing facilities to fishing
craft. The harbors at Vishakhapatnam, Kochi, and Roychowk were completed by 1980; the
one at Madras was completed in the 1980s. A major fishing harbor was under construction
at Sassoon Dock in Mumbai in the early 1990s, as were thirteen additional minor fishing
harbors and eighteen small landing centers. By early 1990, there were 225 deep-sea fishing

38

vessels operating in India's exclusive economic zone. Of these, 165 were owned by Indian
shipping companies, and the rest were chartered foreign fishing vessels.
The government provides subsidies to poor fishermen so that they can motorize their
traditional craft to increase the range and frequency of operation, with a consequent increase
in the catch and earnings. A total of about 26,171 traditional craft had been motorized under
the program by 1992.

Restrictions
The banning of trawling by chartered foreign vessels and the speedy motorization of
traditional fishing craft in the 1980s led to a quantum jump in marine fish production in the
late 1980s. The export of marine products rose from 97,179 tons (Rs531 billion) in FY 1987
to 210,800 tons (Rs17.4 trillion) in FY 1992, making India one of the world's leading seafood
exporting nations. This achievement was largely a result of significant advancements in
India's freezing facilities since the 1960s, advancements that enabled India's seafood products
to meet international standards. Frozen shrimp, a high-value item, has become the dominant
seafood export. Other significant export items are frozen frog legs, frozen lobster tails, dried
fish, and shark fins, much of which is exported to seafood-loving Japan. During the eighth
plan, marine products were identified as having major export potential.
Institutes
There are several specialized institutes that train fishermen. The Central Institute of Fisheries
Nautical and Engineering Training in Juhu instructs operators of deep-sea fishing vessels and
technicians for shore establishments. It has facilities in Madras and Vishakhapatnam for about
500 trainees a year. An Institute named Fisheries Institute of Technology and Training
(FITT) was established with the participation of TATAs in Tamil Nadu, to improve the
socioeconomic condition of fishers.[11] The Integrated Fisheries Project, also headquartered in
Kochi, was established for the processing, popularizing, and marketing of unusual fish.
Another training organization, the Central Institute of Coastal Engineering for
Fisheries in Bangalore, has done techno-economic feasibility studies on locations of fishing
39

harbor sites and brackish-water fish farms. At present there are 19 Fisheries colleges and one
fisheries university (CIFE: Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai)functioning in
various states of the country,providing Professional Fisheries education with a view of
developing Professionalism in the field of Fisheries. Among the fisheries colleges, Fisheries
college and Research Institute located in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu is the more popular college
because of the maximum number of intake of MFSc and PhD candidates every year. Other
colleges such as the College of Fisheries, Panangad, College of Fisheries, and Mangalore are
also working well for the professionalism.
To improve returns to fishermen and provide better products for consumers, several states
have organized marketing cooperatives for fishermen. Nevertheless, most traditional
fishermen rely on household members or local fish merchants for the disposal of their catches.
In some places, marketing is carried on entirely by fisherwomen who carry small quantities in
containers on their heads to nearby places. Good wholesale or retail markets are rare.

40

CONCLUSION
The districts of Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg lie at the heart of Konkan, a charming stretch of
land on the west coast of India, endowed with a beautiful seashore, picturesque mountains and
scenic natural beauty, and known for tropical fruit like the delicious golden Alphonso mango,
cashew, jackfruit, spice crops, coconut, areca nut and kokam. The region is bordered by
Sahyadri hills on the east and Arabian Sea on the west. It is a tract of high rainfall ranging
between 3000 to 5000 mm a year. Indeed the Maharashtra Sahyadris, a part of the mountain
chain of Western Ghats, are one of the countrys water towers, source of Krishna and
Godavari,two major east-flowing rivers of Peninsular India, and a large number of west
flowing rivers. The latter flow into the sea through highly productive estuaries fringed by
mangroves. These abut upon long stretches of beaches, where, on a clear day, you can see the
sea-bed through a depth of 20 ft. The natural vegetation cover of the region is mangrove forest
on the coast and tropical evergreen forest inland, with stunted tree growth and a rich
herbaceous flora on the wind swept plateaus. Today, the fertile alluvial valleys produce rice
and coconut as the main crops; the hill slopes harbor mango and cashew nut orchards. The
estuaries and the coast support rich fisheries.

41

BIBLIOGRAPHY
www.google.com

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