Global meltdown hits seafood industry.

The global economic crisis has affected the seafood industries in the State as a result shrimp farmers of the coastal belt are in a dilemma whether to take up shrimp cultivation or not this year due to fall in prices of shrimp in international market.

‘‘The economic crisis worldwide has dealt a body blow to the fishing industry and the output has declined by over 40 percent,’’ said Gorachand Mohanty, president of Orissa chapter of Seafood Exporters’ Association of India.

The economic meltdown is now threatening the fishing industry, which used to be contribute significantly to the country’s foreign exchanges, added Mohanty. In 2007, fish exports, particularly export of shrimps, from Orissa touched about Rs 500 crore. ‘‘But this year we expect to export seafood worth only Rs 300 crores,’’ he said.

Job in the fishing industry has been squeezed as many trawler owners and seafood exporters have started trimming their operations.

‘‘The economic crisis along with liquidation of many foreign banks has hit the fishing industry as Indian bankers are not trusting foreign banks for the transaction of money. We used to export shrimps and other seafood to USA, Japan and European countries. But the shrimp importers of these countries are not purchasing seafood from us due to the economic crisis,’’ Mohanty said.

Shrimp was priced at $ 10 per kg in international market last year. But this year the price has plummeted to $ 7. Many seafood importers have cancelled their orders pushing the fate fishermen, trawler owners, seafood exporters and others into uncertainty, said Mohanty.

The price of prawn has crashed to Rs 300 per kg from the earlier Rs 450 in the international market.

The shrimp culture, known as ‘dollar crop’, is taken up in large areas of the seaside areas of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and other coastal districts.

The skyrocketing prices of diesel, ice, nets, fishing gears, boats and trawlers are also another threat to the fishing industry. But the State Government is not providing any help to the fishermen , added Mohanty.

Adverse seasonal conditions apart, lack of quality seeds and feed and rampant diseases have hit the industry hard.