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Monday, August 13, 2012

Seafood exports touch $3.5 billion in 2011-12

Kochi: The marine products exports touched 8,62,021 tonnes valued at Rs 16597.23 crore ( $3508.45 million)in 2011-12. This translates to $3.5 billion.

The quantity has gone up by 6.02 %, while the value in rupee terms jumped by 28.65 % over the previous year. In US dollars, the value showed a growth of 22.81 %. The unit value increased to $4.07 from $3.51 in the previous year. In 2010-11 seafood exports stood at 8,13,091 tonnes valued at Rs 12,901.47 crore.

Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) chairman Leena Nair said the figures must be viewed in the light of continuing recession in international markets, debt crisis in EU economies, continuing anti-dumping duty in the US, sluggish growth in the US economy and the political instability in the Arab world.

Frozen shrimp was the major export value item accounting for 49.63% of the total dollar earnings. In quantity terms shrimp exports increased by nearly 25 %. The share of vannamei shrimp in the total shrimp exports has shot up from 14% to 35% while the share of black tiger shrimp has declined from 82% to 61%.

South East Asia has become the largest buyer of Indian marine products with a share of 40 % in volume and 25 % in value in dollars. European Union came second with a share of 23% followed by the US with 18% in volumes. Exports to China recorded a fall of 47 % in quantity and 40% in value in dollar terms.

Leena Nair said MPEDA has targeted $4.5 billion worth exports in the current fiscal. Rising production of vannamei shrimp and better infrastructure facilities for production of value added items will help achieve this target, she said.

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