The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is making concerted efforts to find new markets for Indian shrimp and fish, according to Chairperson, Leena Nair.
She was here to participate in the three-day Aqua Aquaria India - 2015 which began here on Friday. AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the event.
Leena Nair said at present Indian seafood exports were going to 100 countries but the exports to the Gulf countries were quite negligible. "There is immense scope for exporting our seafood to the Gulf," she said. At present, the USA, Japan and the European Union accounted for the bulk of Indian exports.
She said the officials were planning to focus on exporting frozen shrimp and fish, cuttle fish, frozen squid, live and dried items and chilled sea food to the Gulf.
She said, “Seafood exports are increasing by about 20 per cent every year. During 2014-15, we are expecting good hike in exports and the value of the produce may touch $6 billion. Andhra Pradesh is playing a key role in shrimp culture and exports.”
She said that 875,791 tonnes of seafood was exported from the country during April 2014 to Jan 2015 valued at Rs 28,084 crore as against 835,125 tonnes valued at Rs 25,402 crore during the previous year. There was a hike of 4.87 per cent in quantity terms and 10.56 per cent in value terms.
She said the main objective of Aqua Aquaria India 2015 was to disseminate latest technologies to the farmers. Several foreign experts were participating in the meet and they would present as many as 30 papers besides several papers by Indian scientists.
She said 300 stalls were established in the expo organised on the occasion. Ten thousand delegates were participating in the event from across the country.