Vannamei shrimp boosts seafood exports in 2011-12

Kochi: The vannamei shrimp is driving Indian seafood exports, which reached a record $3.5 billion for 2011-12. The rising consumption of the shrimp in the US and Southeast Asian markets has triggered a boom in farmed vannamei production in the country.
Shrimps are the biggest revenue earners in the Indian seafood export basket with the total value estimated at $1.7 billion, recording a growth of 38%. This translates to Rs 8,175 crore of the total marine products export worth Rs 16,597 crore.

Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) chairperson Leena Nair said the Indian vannamei flooded the US market with exports surging 212% in quantity and 209% in value.

Farmed shrimps exports to Southeast Asia grew 222% in volume and as much as 356% in dollar value.

Indian seafood fetched higher price in the international market as is evident from the 16% rise in unit value of the products to $4.07.