January 12, 2006

India aims to create US$6-billion fish export industry by 2015

India aims to export US$4 billion worth of seafood by 2010 and increase that to US$6 billion by 2015, said Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) chairman G Mohankumar.

The MPEDA is now in the process of drawing up a blueprint for the seafood export industry; some of the plans under consideration include tapping of unexploited resources, technology-upgrade and expansion of aquaculture.

Fish will also be imported to ensure a free flow of raw material for the processing industry. However, valued added products only account for just 5 percent of exports at present.

The Indian seafood industry is currently facing an anti-dumping duty from the US Customs.