Kochi, July 8 Marine products export earned a record Rs 8,607.94 crore during 2008-09 fiscal with 6.02 lakh tonnes of seafoods being shipped out. In dollar terms, it was $1,908.63 million.
In terms of quantity, the increase was 11.29 per cent and in rupee terms, it was 12.95 per cent(0.5 per cent in dollar terms) compared with the previous fiscal.
Ms Leena Nair, Chairperson of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), told a press conference that this was a creditable achievement for seafood industry considering the global meltdown in the economy and reduced demand for consumer products.
Right policies and interventions by the Union Government and MPEDA and the proactive role played by the industry helped in achieving the positive growth in exports for the fifth consecutive year in the most trying circumstances, she said.
An important feature in the export trend was the increase in exports to China, which emerged as the second largest buyer, importing 57,271 tonnes at $278.61 million.
Exports to the US fell further to $227.29 million (-10.18 per cent), making it now the fourth-largest buyer of Indian seafood, Ms Nair said.
Frozen shrimp continued to be the major export item accounting for 44 per cent of the total export earnings, though its share in the exports during the period dropped 8 per cent in quantity, 4 per cent in rupee value and 15 per cent in dollar terms.
The European Union remained the largest market for Indian seafood accounting for 1.51 lakh tonnes (25 per cent) in quantity and earning Rs 2,800 crore (32.5 per cent) or $623 million (33 per cent). The share of the European market has, however, slid from 35 per cent to 32.6 per cent in dollar terms.
Aquaculture production declined to 88,803 tonnes (an estimated value of Rs 1,915 crore) during the year.
Shrimp production from coastal aquaculture was 75,997 tonnes from the culture area of 1.08 lakh hectares.
Compared with the previous year, the decrease was 28.4 per cent in production and 10.9 per cent in area.
Ms Nair attributed the decline in production to the global economic crisis, which resulted in fall in international price for seafood products in general and shrimp in particular.
Tuna exports increased from Rs 69.31 crore to Rs 231.38 crore, registering a growth of 287 per cent after the MPEDA implemented a scheme of converting existing trawlers in to tuna long liners.
It is targeted to convert 1,000 vessels during this Plan period with the objective of exporting 90,000 tonnes of tuna, she said.
MPEDA has taken measures for increasing production from aquaculture such as GIS mapping in farm census and traceability, cage farming of fin fish, introduction of Tilapia in India and assistance for Padasekharams of Kerala for scampi development, she added.
Source : Business Line