India emerging as largest seafood exporter but fish catch dwindles

Chennai:

India is slowly emerging as one of the largest seafood exporter in the world despite its captured fisheries dwindling by 20 to 25 per cent, according to chairman of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) Leena Nair.

Addressing a press conference here, Nair said that although MPEDA is taking measures to boost fish production in the seas by ranching and cage method, efforts are also on to encourage the Indian industry to go for value added products.

Interestingly, while the captured fish exports have been hit, it is exports of culture shrimp that is resulting in the growth of seafood sector. Currently, Shrimp alone accounts for 66 per cent of the total seafood exports while fish contributes 13.14 per cent.

 Interestingly, India is exporting $900 million seafood products to United States of which $858 million is contributed by shrimps alone.

Frozen shrimp is the major item exported in terms of quantity and value during April-November 2013 fetching $2,110.70 million. It is followed by frozen squid, frozen cuttlefish, dried items, chilled items and others.

She says that with promising trends in first eight months of current financial year, marine exports is likely to cross the target of $4.3 billion this financial year.

She also said that India has differences over the stiff import rule imposed by Canada on seafood exports. “Canada is one of the major markets. India wants a negotiated terms and talks are on,” Nair said.

Interestingly, Nair also highlighted how India managed to win over Japan which slightly altered its norms relating to the presence of ethoxyquin in imported shrimps which can be met by Indian exporters. She said Japan brought in a regulation that made exports of sea food to Japan difficult. It was only due to the intervention of top officials, the norms were altered without compromising on the quality.

Interestingly, during April-November 2013 seafood exports stood at $3,208.28 million up from $2,423.25 logged during comparable period in 2012.

She said in order to encourage the Indian industry to go for value added products the government plans to continue with its freight assistance scheme tweaking a bit.