The Hindu Business Line : Indian seafood exports touch $1.89 b in 2007-08

Kochi, Aug 12 Indian seafood exports rose to $1.89 billion during 2007-08. Announcing the export performance for last year, Mr G. Mohan Kumar, Chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), said despite a slow down in fish landings along the Indian coastline and fall in aquaculture production, the country was able to notch up a 2.49 per cent growth in dollar exports mainly due to a surge in unit value realisation.

“This was the fourth year in succession that the country has been able to achieve record export earnings in dollar terms,” Mr Mohan Kumar said. But there was a decline of 8.88 per cent in rupee terms which was accompanied by a 11.58 per cent fall in export quantum. The unit value realisation moved up on the back of sharp price rise for cuttlefish and squid. Frozen shrimp accounted for 52 per cent of total marine exports at $980 million followed by frozen fish valued at 17 per cent at $326 million, frozen cuttlefish at nine per cent at $185 million and frozen squid at five per cent at $101 million.

Overall production from export-oriented aquaculture during last year was estimated to be 1.33 lakh tonnes, which was a fall by 41,000 tonnes in quantity and Rs 941 crore in value compared to the previous year. Shrimp production showed a decrease by 26 per cent and scampi production by nine per cent over the previous year. Disease outbreaks and natural calamities were reportedly the prime reasons for the shortfall in aquaculture production.

Vannamei culture

In order to recoup some of the lost ground in aquaculture, the MPEDA would be introducing the exotic vannamei shrimp culture during the course of the current year. Though the stocking intensity and yields from vannamei culture is expected to be substantially higher than the traditional black tiger aquaculture, the average size and weight of the new shrimp variety would be far lower, Mr Mohan Kumar said. With the relatively intense stocking and culture practices, farming of vannamei would require greater investments and large scale operations. And MPEDA does not intend to promote the culture of one shrimp variety at the cost of another and would be encouraging the culture of both the species.

Because of the specific efforts of MPEDA tuna exports has grown by 80 per cent in dollar terms to $53 million during last year. Tuna exports in quantity grew by 48 per cent to 35,226 tonnes.

Destination Europe

European Union has again emerged as the major market for Indian marine exports accounting for 35 per cent of the value at $663 million and 27 per cent of the quantity at 1.49 lakh tonnes. This was followed by Japan which accounted for 16 per cent of export value at $305 million and 12 per cent of quantity at 67,373 tonnes. US was the third largest export destination with 13.33 per cent of the value at $253 million and seven per cent of quantity at 36,612 tonnes. China was a close fourth with 13.32 per cent of value at $252 million though with a substantial share in quantity at 1.39 lakh tonnes.

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