December 5, 2006

 

India's seafood exports to the US falls 23 percent

 

 

India's seafood export volume to the US has fallen 23 percent while value has dropped 14 percent in the first half of this financial year despite increases seen in exports to other countries.

 

Authorities said the shrimp anti-dumping duty and the customs bond had turned importers away.

 

Exports to other countries other than the US and south-east Asia increased during the first half of the financial year, increasing 25 percent in volume and 14 percent in value.

 

During April-September, India exported 22,329 tonne of seafood to US markets, compared to last year's 29,160 tonnes while value dropped to 768 crore rupees from 896.17 crore rupees in the same period of 2005-06. 

 

A J Tharakan, president, Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), cited the 10.17 percent anti-dumping duty on frozen shrimp and the customs bond as the major reasons for the drop. 

     

The EU remained the top market, absorbing nearly a third of the country's seafood exports. For the last half-year, EU imports of Indian seafood stood at 64,660 tonnes, valued at 1,236 crore rupees, growing 6.14 percent in quantity and 28.72 percent in value. 

 

Japan, Indian seafood's second largest market accounted for 16 percent of Indian seafood exports the last half-year, importing 720 crore rupees worth of Indian seafood at 33,000 tonnes.

 

Exports to Japan grew 7.86 per cent in quantity and 15.41 per cent in value over last year.

 

Other important markets for Indian seafood include China, at 40,407 tonnes, valued at 302 crore rupees.   

 

Frozen shrimp accounted for a third of India's seafood export in volume but about two-thirds of the value.