The Undersecretariat of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development of Andalusia is carrying out some thirty research and transfer projects, specifically aimed at improving the competitiveness of aquaculture.

This was highlighted by president of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training of Andalusia (IFAPA) Jerónimo Pérez Parra at the opening of the IX Seminar on Aquaculture in the South-East Coast.

In the event, Pérez Parra stressed the importance of this sector for the autonomous community, which contributes, as he said, 20 per cent of marine aquaculture production in Spain, with a turnover that exceeds EUR 70 million per year.

The commitment of the Andalusian Government with the sector, from the perspective of IFAPA president, is \"clear\", as evidenced by the second call for aid opened in 2018 (until May 25) to support marine aquaculture projects in the region, a new order that has added EUR 9.3 million to EUR 10.6 million already articulated at the beginning of the year in favour of the sustainable development of this activity.

This statement is reinforced by the EUR 17.2 million budget allocated in this same year to the promotion of the transformation of fishery and aquaculture products.

The Undersecretariat of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, in this regard, has launched the Andalusian Strategy for the Development of Marine Aquaculture in Andalusia, which poses the challenge of doubling the current annual production.

The Andalusian aquaculture produces 9,700 tonnes per year and represents 22 per cent of the value of the fishing sector in the region, and the goal is to reach a production of 20,000 tonnes.

Source: FIS // Original Article