Kochi : India aims to double marine product exports to Rs 1 lakh crore in the next five years from the present around Rs 50,000 crore, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal said on Monday. This target will be achieved through sustainable fishing, ensuring quality and variety, promotion of coastal shipping and aquaculture, and by supporting the entire fisheries ecosystem, Goyal said while addressing media persons at the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) in Kochi, Kerala. The minister said the government has been making efforts to provide market access and new opportunities for the country’s exporters.He said the marine product exports would give fishermen a better future. Replying to a question, Goyal ruled out the possibility of shifting the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) office from Kochi. Elaborating on the government’s measures to boost exports, the minister said that the Free Trade Agreements have been finalised with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Australia, while negotiations are in progress for such an agreement with UK and Canada. He said negotiations to reach an FTA with the EU will begin in Brussels on the 17th of this month. Earlier, the Minister had an interaction with Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) at MPEDA and had an extensive discussion on various issues, challenges and solutions facing the sector. He also met with fishermen from Kerala, Tamilnadu, Puducherry and Karnataka. The Minister assured interventions from the Ministry to minimise the hurdles on the import of raw materials for value addition so that India can be transformed to a seafood processing hub in the near future. Goyal urged the exporters to educate, assist and encourage fishermen to follow sustainable measures in fishing and also to preserve the quality of the catch so that it will fetch better returns. Indian missions abroad have been geared up to help exporters in expanding their trade, he added. The Minister also had a discussion with stakeholders of the Rubber Sector at MPEDA. He assured the government’s support for the further development of the sector and exhorted all stakeholders to work towards making India self-sufficient in rubber. He reiterated the need for increase in production and productivity to bridge the gap between production and consumption of rubber in the country.