Department of Fisheries to sign MoU with ONDC to maximise potential of digital commerce

The crucial move would give fishermen, fish farmer and producer organisations, entrepreneurs, SHGs, fisherman cooperatives, and other pertinent stakeholders in the fisheries sector a digital platform to access new markets, hence increasing their reach and potential customer base, among other benefits.

Further, this collaboration will facilitate the implementation of collectivisation, and technology-driven solutions, and improve the efficiency and competitiveness of small-scale producers and marketers, the ministry stated.

The implementation of digital technological solutions will assist the fishing industry in many ways, including increased competitiveness, innovation, and job creation as well as improved trust, lower transaction costs, expanded market reach, and improved transparency.

According to the ministry, the ONDC network will "facilitate seamless integration for harnessing the benefits of collectivisation between producers, processors, and distributors within the fisheries sector, enabling efficient supply chain management, value chains, and market access”.

The collaboration between the Department of Fisheries and ONDC will also facilitate capacity building, besides raising awareness via educational workshops for MSMEs, start-ups, SHGs, small and marginal fishermen, FFPOs, fishers, and market participants in the sector.

The e-marketing platform ONDC will play a significant role in the fisheries sector to connect maximum FFPOs and other fishermen cooperatives, the release read.

ONDC will provide a direct channel between the producers and consumers. It will help in reducing the reliance on intermediaries, which will ultimately lead to higher profits for fishers as well as lower prices for consumers.

“This initiative will also provide a scale of economy to the marginal fishermen engaged in scattered business through a common digital platform for their products,” the release added.

The event will witness the participation of officials from the Department of Fisheries, besides fish farmer and producer organisations, entrepreneurs, and fishermen cooperatives among other relevant stakeholders.