March 13, 2008

Indian tiger prawns gaining domestic favour
 

India's tiger prawns are slowly gaining favour in domestic retail markets, which plans to increase tiger prawn stocks in the coming future.

Sales of tiger prawns have been decent, accounting for Rs300,000 to Rs400,000 per month in 70,000 square feet stores and about Rs100,000 in 4,000 square feet stores, according to Samar Singh Sheikhawat, marketing vice president of Spencer's Retail.

The demand for tiger prawns has been increasing everyday, said Sheikhawat.

International retailer Metro Cash & Carry orders about 2.5 tonnes of tiger prawns each day.

At 120,000 square feet large Malad Mall, tiger prawns occupy less than 2 percent of total shelf space but that is expected to change positively early next year.

India produces about 120,000 tonnes of tiger prawns per day, with more than 95 percent of it is exported mainly to Japan, the US and the EU.

At present, the state of Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of tiger prawns, harvesting about 70,000 tonnes per year.

Tiger prawns have not had good sales in India, as it manages only 5 percent of sales, reason being it is 20-25 percent more expensive than wild prawns. Despite so, Kamlesh Gupta, chairman of aquaculture company Aqua Alliance, believes that consumer awareness and demand for tiger prawns will increase, as the products enter the retail markets.