Riding on the comfort of high value aquaculture shrimp production, Vizag Port continues to emerge as the leading port in seafood exports by value terms during FY-15.

Pipavav Port also maintained its lead quantity-wise garnering a share of 25.27 per cent out of the total 10,51,243 tonnes of seafood exports from the country during the period.

The figures released by MPEDA revealed that exports through Vizag Port fetched a revenue of ₹7,578.27 crore in rupee terms with a 22 per cent share of the total ₹33,441.61 crore, while the dollar earnings was to the tune of $1,251.83 holding a share of 10.66 per cent out of the $5.5 billion exports.

However, Kochi Port came to the second position both in quantity and value terms with over 15 per cent share quantity. The export in value terms through the port also registered a jump at ₹4,989 crore in rupee-wise and in dollar terms, the figure was $822. The export of high value species through the port is a major money spinner for Kochi to emerge next to Vizag in value wise.

According to port officials, better infrastructure facilities extended to seafood exporters from the region by providing additional 60 reefer plug points at the port’s own container freight station at concessional rates had helped Kochi to perform well in marine exports. This is expected to continue in the current fiscal also, the officials added.

Quantity-wise, Pipavav port handled 2,43,640 tonnes, while the figure in Kochi was 1,62,818 tonnes. The officials in the Seafood Exporters Association attributed handling of low value processed fish in large quantities as well as raw materials in bulk meant for fish processing as the reasons for Pipavav to emerge as a leading port destination in quantity terms.

The US is the largest market for seafood products this year followed by South East Asia, EU, Japan, other countries, West Asia and China.

At present, marine products were exported through 30 different sea/air/land ports. According to MPEDA, exports also improved from JNPT, Kolkatta, Tuticorin, Krishnapatnam and Mangalore vis a vis last fiscal.

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