Gujarat yet to tap its full marine products export potential
State government now working on drafting an action plan to boost infrastructure as well as exports
 "Gujarat yet to tap its full marine products export potential")
The state government, however, has started taking stock of the situation off late. Mona Khandhar, secretary of the agriculture and cooperation department, Gujarat, who has taken charge recently, sounded upbeat not only on improving the fishing infrastructure, but also reduce wastage by adding more processing facilities.
"We are working on an action plan, that would look at the challenges faced by the industry and would try to overhaul the entire fishing infrastructure here. This should be ready in about another month's time," she said adding that as such the department is also planning to improve the current infrastructure be it the fish lending centers or upgrade the existing harbours.
About time, as while Gujarat's ports like Pipavav lead in terms of volume of exports, ports in Andhra take the cake when it comes to value. In 2014-15, Pipavav, a private port in Gujarat, came first in terms of quantity, exporting around 243,640 tonnes of marine products, while Vizag port bagged the top slot in terms of value, at Rs 7,578 crore. Vizag, however, exported far less quantity, at 115,672 tonnes.
Industry insiders claim that this is because Gujarat lags behind states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, West Bengal, in terms of processing and value addition of marine products. "Shrimps or prawns are the most valuable products in terms of exports. In Gujarat we have identified nearly 90,000 hectares of land that is suitable for brackishwater cultivation (a mix of sweet and salt water like in estuaries suitable for prawns cultivation), however, up to March this year, only 6,000 hectares of land has been allotted," said a senior official of the state fisheries department on grounds of anonymity.
He further added that Gujarat is currently producing around 5,000 to 6,000 tonnes of pawns, and the potential was at least ten times more than that. "This could give a big boost to the value of exports from Gujarat, which from a current about Rs 4,000 crore (estimated), can easily touch Rs 6,000 crore in a few years," he said.
While seafood exports from India touched an all-time high of Rs 33,441 crore (or about $5.51 billion) for the year 2014-15, frozen shrimps accounted for a 34 per cent share in terms of quantity at 357,505 tonnes and about 48 per cent in terms of value of the total exports at Rs 22,468 crore. Gujarat exported 242,000 tonnes in FY13 (worth Rs 2929.61 crore), which grew to 251,000 tonnes in FY14 (worth Rs 3658.57 crore), and in FY15, the exports is estimated to be a tad less than Rs 4,000 crore (data yet to be collated).
"We export primarily dried fish, which fetches less value. Frozen fish, especially shrimps can add value to our exports," said a fisheries department official who also claimed that in many areas (especially the Jain dominated areas) locals are opposed to fishing as well as setting up processing centers. This is primarily on account of the predominantly vegetarian culture in the state. It becomes a challenge when the fisheries department tries to implement marketing initiatives in the local areas.
According to a senior official in the department, plans of having a permanent market place for fish vendors was met with opposition of locals in cities like Ahmedabad, which now make do mobile vans of Gujarat Fisheries that sell fish. Khandhar, however, noted that in coastal areas there was no issue pertaining to fishing and opposition from locals. "It becomes an issue at times in the hinterland, where the population is not a fish-consuming one. We, however, are not focussing on domestic marketing, but rather on exports."
The department of agriculture, according to Khandhar, has already planned an outlay of Rs 1200 crore to upgrade infrastructure and construct new harbours, which are planned at Okha, Mangrol, Veraval, Porbandar, Bhadreshwar, Nava Bandar areas.
With a renewed vision on marine products exports, it is a matter of time till Gujarat catches up in terms of value added exports.
| PORT-WISE EXPORT DATA | ||||
| Port | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | |
| CHENNAI | Quantity in ton | 53596.00 | 55282.00 | 46671.00 |
| US$ Million | 383.46 | 456.79 | 405.71 | |
| Value in Crore | 2062.72 | 2709.97 | 2458.20 | |
| KOCHI | US$ Million | 608.80 | 748.69 | 822.23 |
| Value in Crore | 3265.64 | 4491.03 | 4989.86 | |
| Quantity in ton | 162109.00 | 160798.00 | 162818.00 | |
| J N P | Value in Crore | 2399.80 | 3531.36 | 3939.46 |
| Quantity in ton | 145723.00 | 142073.00 | 149585.00 | |
| US$ Million | 448.46 | 584.74 | 648.48 | |
| VIZAG | Value in Crore | 3344.97 | 6825.64 | 7578.27 |
| Quantity in ton | 78542.00 | 102146.00 | 115672.00 | |
| US$ Million | 620.93 | 1131.25 | 1251.83 | |
| KOLKATA | Quantity in ton | 63832.00 | 67148.00 | 84994.00 |
| US$ Million | 335.91 | 503.23 | 609.05 | |
| Value in Crore | 1811.21 | 3053.46 | 3686.35 | |
| TUTICORIN | Quantity in ton | 32989.00 | 39547.00 | 42203.00 |
| US$ Million | 235.91 | 358.60 | 383.92 | |
| Value in Crore | 1269.03 | 2163.18 | 2328.27 | |
| MUMBAI | US$ Million | 60.47 | 76.49 | 54.83 |
| Value in Crore | 323.77 | 454.76 | 333.72 | |
| Quantity in ton | 3164.00 | 5338.00 | 2098.00 | |
| MANGALORE/ICD | Value in Crore | 849.01 | 1114.63 | 1363.38 |
| Quantity in ton | 95907.00 | 98230.00 | 115470.00 | |
| US$ Million | 157.86 | 182.84 | 223.20 | |
| GOA | Value in Crore | 366.95 | 445.92 | 569.54 |
| Quantity in ton | 41377.00 | 34288.00 | 44684.00 | |
| US$ Million | 68.33 | 72.13 | 93.38 | |
| PIPAVAV | Quantity in ton | 233738.00 | 248621.00 | 243640.00 |
| US$ Million | 525.57 | 595.61 | 588.47 | |
| Value in Crore | 2808.25 | 3605.77 | 3588.35 | |
| TRIVANDRUM | Quantity in ton | 3131.00 | 3180.00 | 2955.00 |
| US$ Million | 26.72 | 27.41 | 23.30 | |
| Value in Crore | 143.56 | 164.19 | 141.56 | |
| KANDLA | Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| PORBANDAR | Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.90 |
| Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 20.00 | |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.15 | |
| KAKINADA | Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 62.00 | 0.00 |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.62 | 0.00 | |
| Value in Crore | 0.00 | 3.74 | 0.00 | |
| PARADEEP | Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 413.00 |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.47 | |
| Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 8.98 | |
| CALICUT | US$ Million | 4.95 | 8.68 | 5.74 |
| Value in Crore | 26.65 | 51.14 | 34.66 | |
| Quantity in ton | 1159.00 | 1720.00 | 980.00 | |
| DELHI | Value in Crore | 17.67 | 0.00 | 5.92 |
| Quantity in ton | 242.00 | 0.00 | 147.00 | |
| US$ Million | 3.27 | 0.00 | 0.97 | |
| HALDIA | Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| KARWAR | Quantity in ton | 56.00 | 0.00 | 42.00 |
| US$ Million | 0.11 | 0.00 | 0.24 | |
| Value in Crore | 0.62 | 0.00 | 1.47 | |
| MUNDRA | Quantity in ton | 8274.00 | 3201.00 | 1026.00 |
| US$ Million | 22.32 | 8.40 | 2.35 | |
| Value in Crore | 119.96 | 49.68 | 14.28 | |
| AHMEDABAD | US$ Million | 0.26 | 0.48 | 1.10 |
| Value in Crore | 1.40 | 3.03 | 6.74 | |
| Quantity in ton | 44.00 | 97.00 | 224.00 | |
| AGARTALA | Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.17 | 0.24 |
| Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 97.00 | 54.00 | |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.03 | 0.04 | |
| NSICT | Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | |
| Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.11 | |
| KARIMGANJ | Quantity in ton | 17.00 | 153.00 | 56.00 |
| US$ Million | 0.01 | 0.05 | 0.03 | |
| Value in Crore | 0.04 | 0.32 | 0.16 | |
| MID SEA | US$ Million | 0.11 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Value in Crore | 0.63 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Quantity in ton | 46.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| HILL LAND CUSTOMS | Value in Crore | 13.91 | 5.21 | 1.34 |
| Quantity in ton | 3109.00 | 1604.00 | 144.00 | |
| US$ Million | 2.56 | 0.88 | 0.22 | |
| OKHA | Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| PORT BLAIR | Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| HYDERABAD | Quantity in ton | 386.00 | 173.00 | 719.00 |
| US$ Million | 2.13 | 0.93 | 0.00 | |
| Value in Crore | 11.48 | 5.49 | 0.00 | |
| VERAVAL | US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| BANGALORE | Value in Crore | 6.23 | 7.75 | 10.12 |
| Quantity in ton | 479.00 | 388.00 | 810.00 | |
| US$ Million | 1.15 | 1.25 | 1.67 | |
| TRICHY | Value in Crore | 0.03 | 1.13 | 3.31 |
| Quantity in ton | 1.00 | 14.00 | 32.00 | |
| US$ Million | 0.01 | 0.20 | 0.54 | |
| KRISHNAPATNAM | Quantity in ton | 294.00 | 19594.00 | 30690.00 |
| US$ Million | 2.36 | 248.37 | 341.51 | |
| Value in Crore | 12.72 | 1525.62 | 2066.14 | |
| SURUT (INHZA) | US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.01 | 1.21 |
| Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.09 | 7.33 | |
| Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 1.00 | 101.00 | |
| HAZIRA | Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 27.63 |
| Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 423.00 | |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4.56 | |
| KATTUPALLI | Quantity in ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 4571.00 |
| US$ Million | 0.00 | 0.00 | 40.47 | |
| Value in Crore | 0.00 | 0.00 | 248.40 | |
| Total | Value in Crore | 18856.26 | 30213.26 | 33441.61 |
| Quantity in ton | 928215.00 | 983756.00 | 1051243.00 | |
| US$ Million | 3511.67 | 5007.70 | 5511.12 | |
| Source: Marine Products Export Development Authority, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India | ||||