August 14, 2012

India's seafood products exports reach 8,62,021 tonnes at US$3508.45 million in 2011 and 2012.

The quantity has gone up by 6.02 %, while the value in rupee terms jumped by 28.65 % over the previous year. In US dollars, the value showed a growth of 22.81 %. The unit value increased to US$4.07 from US$3.51 in the previous year. In 2010-2011, seafood exports stood at 8,13,091 tonnes.

Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) chairman, Leena Nair, said the figures must be viewed in the light of continuing recession in international markets, debt crisis in EU economies, continuing anti-dumping duty in the US, sluggish growth in the US economy and the political instability in the Arab world.

Frozen shrimp was the major export value item accounting for 49.63% of the total dollar earnings. In quantity terms, shrimp exports increased by nearly 25 %. The share of vannamei shrimps in the total shrimp exports has shot up from 14% to 35% while the share of black tiger shrimps has declined from 82% to 61%.

South East Asia has become the largest buyer of Indian marine products with a share of 40 % in volume and 25 % in value in dollars. EU came second with a share of 23% followed by the US with 18% in volumes. Exports to China recorded a fall of 47 % in quantity and 40% in value in dollar terms.

Leena Nair said MPEDA has targeted US$4.5 billion worth exports in the current fiscal. Rising production of vannamei shrimp and better infrastructure facilities for production of value added items will help achieve this target, she said.