Shrimp exports up 21 pc to $3.94 bn during Apr-Jan

The country's shrimp export grew 20.63 per cent during April-January of the current fiscal to USD 3.94 billion, on account of healthy demand in the US, Japan, South East Asia and the EU, as per data from the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).

India is a leading supplier of frozen shrimp and fish in the international market.

The total seafood exports of the country during the first 10 months of the current financial year rose 13.27 per cent to USD 5.64 billion.

According to the data, frozen shrimp continued as the top export item of the marine products basket, with a share of 42.05 per cent in terms of quantity and 69.95 per cent of the total earnings in dollar.

In terms of volume, shrimp exports increased to 4,56,404 tonne during the period, against 3,78,355 tonne in April-January of 2017-18.

The largest markets for India's frozen shrimp were the US (1,87,873 tonne), South East Asia (1,27,525 tonne), EU (62,164 tonne), Japan (28,064 tonne), Middle East (15,801 tonne) and China (9,533 tonne).

The country's shrimp exports are growing despite a fall in global prices due to oversupply from some major shrimp-producing countries and stringent test regimes imposed by the EU to detect antibiotic residues in frozen shrimp consignments.

The main seafoods being exported by India include frozen fish, frozen squid, Vannamei shrimp, and Black Tiger shrimp.

The US is the major importer of Indian seafoods, with a share of about 34 per cent in dollar terms. It is followed by South East Asia, EU, Japan, Middle East nations, and China.

Further, according to MPEDA, Indian ports handled a total marine cargo of 10,85,378 tonnes worth USD 5.64 billion during the period.

Pipavav port handled the highest marine cargo of 2,47,873 tonne. The other major ports from where the country exports include Vizag, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Krishnapatnam, Tuticorin, Chennai and Mangalore.

The four largest shrimp-producing states are Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Kerala.