Indian seafood exports decline 9 per cent to Rs 30,421 crore in 2015-16

KOCHI: After a sustained increase in the last few years, the seafood export from India has shown a decline in 2015 -16. It has dropped 10 per cent in quantity and 9per cent in value from the previous year at 945892 tonnes valued at Rs 30,420.83 crore.

Marine Products Export Development Authority ( MPEDA) chairman A Jayathilak said the revival of the shrimp aquaculture production in Thailand and Vietnam, which was down due to diseases, resulted in better supply situation and eased the prices of shrimp in the world market.

The average unit value of frozen shrimp, which accounts for 66 per cent of the total value of Indian seafood export, fell to $8.28 per kg from $10.38 in 2014-15.

The depreciation of euro, weaker economic condition in China and devaluation of yen contributed to the decline in exports.

Decline in capture fishery was another reason. The shrimp caught from the wild dropped by 10.5 per cent in 2015 at 3,48,296 tonnes from the previous year.

USA continued to be the major importer of Indian seafood accounting for 28per cent of the value of total exports.

South East Asia was the second with 24.65 per cent while European Union came third with 20.75 per cent. Among frozen shrimps, Vannamei continues to be the most popular one.

Visakhapattanam port came first among the ports with largest share of value of seafood exported while Kochi stood second. In terms of quantity Pipavav came first.

To help the aquaculture farmers, MPEDA is establishing a nucleus breeding centre in Kanyakumari district in two years.