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High-value aquaculture shrimp production has facilitated Vizag Port to continue to be the leading port in India in handling seafood exports in terms of dollar earnings for FY21. In addition, the shipments from Odisha also find their way through Vizag, as the ports in Odisha are not supporting reefer cargo.
Vizag port has earned 28 per cent out of the total $5.96 billion out of marine exports. The port achieved a figure of $1681 million, while it handled 18.83 per cent of the total quantity of 11,49,341 tonnes of seafood India exported. In rupee terms, the share was ₹12,362.71 crore.
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USA and China are the major importers of Indian seafood consignments.
Besides Vizag, the ports of Kochi, Krishnapatnam and JNPT has also played a major role in facilitating seafood export despite being affected by the Covid pandemic. However,there was a 11 per cent drop in exports compared to the previous year. .
As per the export's figures released by Marine Products Exports Development Authority, Pipavav Port was in the 2nd position in terms of quantity handled at 1,85,817 tonnes (16 per cent). The share of Kochi in quantity terms was 12.49 per cent at 1,43,552 tonnes. In US dollar terms, the port facilitated earnings of $681 million (11.43 per cent) and ₹4,994 crore in rupee terms.
Factors for decline in exports
Official sources in the sector cited host of factors for the decline in exports of marine products which included reduced fish landings due to less number of fishing days; logistics issues due to scarcity of containers at seaports; increased freight charges; decline in the exports of high value chilled and live products due to limited flight availability and high air freight costs.
The scarcity of containers had created difficulties for exporters in executing orders in the US markets. Closure of HoReCa segment also affected the demand for seafood. Besides, the continued lockdown in major EU countries has made the retail, restaurant, supermarkets and hotel consumption sluggish. State of emergency in major cities of Japan also hit the demand and consumption.
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