Marine exports crossed record $5 bn last fiscal

MPEDA targets $6 bn this fiscal

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has set an export target of $6 billion for the current financial year.  MPEDA chairman Leena Nair said that hike in the  production of Vannamei shrimp, strict quality control measures and increase in infrastructure facilities for production of value-added items have helped in achieving this target.

During the financial year 2013-14, exports of marine products reached an all-time high of $5 billion. A whopping increase of 60.23% recorded in Re value realisation during the year, compared to the previous fiscal.  

According to Leena, exports crossed all previous records in quantity, rupee value and US diollar terms. Exports aggregated to 983,756 tones valued at Rs 30,213.26 crore and $5.1  billion. Compared to the previous year, seafood exports recorded a growth of 5.98 %  in quantity, 60.23% in rupee and 42.6% growth in dollar earnings. Unit value realisation also reached to record high from $3.78/kg during 2012-13 to $ 5.09/kg, recording a hike of 34.55%. A sharp increase in the production of  Vannamei shrimp, has helped to achieve higher exports during last financial year.

Major export markets

South East Asia continued to be the largest buyer of Indian marine products with a share of 26.38% in terms of US $ value realization. USA is the second largest market with a share of 25.68%, followed by European Union (EU) (20.24%), Japan (8.21%), China (5.85%) and West Asia (5.45%).

Exports to South East Asian Countries has shown positive growth by 11.47, 84.67 and 62.72%  in terms of quantity, rupee value and US dollar terms respectively.

Exports to US had registered a tremendous growth of 19.94%  in quantity and 72.06%  in US$ realization and is mainly attributed to the export of frozen  Shrimp which showed a growth of about 34.81%  in volume and 92.40% in US dollar terms. Exports of Vannamei shrimp showed a whopping  increase in US market by 59.63 % in quantity and 135.71% in US dollar realisation.

Export to Japan registered increase in terms of US dollar by 10.30%. Exports of frozen shrimp increased by 7.38% in quantity terms and 28.23 % in dollar terms.

Export to West Asian countries has shown good growth of 40.13, 43.65 and 30.29% in terms of quantity, value and dollar terms respectively.

Shrimp accounts for 64%

Frozen shrimp continued to be the major export value item accounting for a share of 64.12%  of the total US dollar earnings. Shrimp exports during the period increased  31.85, 99.54 and 78.06%  in quantity, rupee value and US dollar value respectively.  There was all time high growth in unit value realisation of frozen shrimp at 35.05%.

Exports during 2013-14 compared to 2012-13
Export details	2012-13	2013-14	Growth %
Quantity in tonnes	9,28,215	9,83,756	5.98
Value in Rs crore	18,856.26	30,213.26	60.23
Value in US $ Million	3,511.67	5,007.7	42.6
Unit value (US$/Kg)	3.78	5.09	34.55
Source: MPEDA

Overall exports of shrimp during 2013-14 was to the tune of 301,435 tonnes worth $3.2 billion.  USA is the largest market (95,927 tonnes) for frozen shrimps exports in quantity terms, followed by European Union (73,487 tonnes), South East Asia (52,533 tonnes) and Japan (28,719 tonnes].