The Karnataka Fisheries Development Corporation (KFDC), which had registered Rs. 4.38 crore profit in 2016-17 and wiped off all accumulated losses, has improved its performance in 2017-18 by earning a net profit of Rs. 5.02 crore. Established in 1970 as a State government undertaking, the Corporation had an accumulated loss of Rs. 9.45 crore as in 2007-08. However, KFDC enhanced its performance during the last decade and registered profit consecutively. Having the mandate to work for promoting the economic condition of fishermen and develop the fisheries sector, the KFDC diversified into several allied activities that helped it to perform well, said Corporation’s Managing Director M.L. Doddamani. It is also the nodal agency to execute several Central and State government-sponsored projects for fishermen, including construction of fish markets and houses for fishermen. Fish stalls The corporation has opened air-conditioned stalls, Matsya Darshini canteens and sale of ornamental fish under one roof in Mangaluru, Puttur, Sullia, Madikeri, Mysuru, Tumakuru, Kolar, Shivamogga, Tirthahalli, Davangere, Bengaluru and Hubballi. While the corporation sells over 1.5 tonnes of fish a day through these stalls, in Bengaluru’s Cubbon Park alone, it does a business of upto Rs. 2 lakh. The Corporation has done a total business worth 11.12 crore through these stalls in 2017-18. Fish processing unit The state-of-the-art fish processing unit at Mangaluru processes 16 tonnes of fish daily and is run by a private partner. The pre-processing unit managed by the corporation provides cold storage facility and further transport of fish to places across the State through refrigerated/ insulated vehicles. It has also provided two units of dry fish processing units of 300 kg per day capacity to fishermen self-help groups and undertakes marketing of packed dry fish. The units are developed by Fisheries College, Mangaluru. Mr. Doddamani said KFDC’s performance is set to improve this year too with the support of Fisheries Minister Venkatarao Nadagouda, who is also its Chairman.