Sizzling temperature may hit seafood exports

Shrimp mortality in ponds on the rise as mercury hits as much as 45°C in April; sea catch also likely to plunge

With the mercury level reaching an unprecedented 45°C in the month of April, the seafood industry is facing a situation of rising cases of premature shrimp mortality at the ponds. The death figures likely to pull down exports in 2016-17, exporters say. Export of marine products increased from $2.1 billion in FY10 to $5.5 billion in FY15, but after that, it fell for the first time in FY16 and if heat impact continues, FY17 may not be any better.

"Due to the sizzling temperature, farmers are not opting for stocking of seeds at the ponds as there are rising instances of the premature mortality especially in West Bengal, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. We are pinning hopes on the rain god. This year's temperature is unprecedented and all states in the country are affected by rise in mercury", said Ajay Dash, president, Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI)-Odisha region.

 

Apart from shrimp culture crop, sea catch is also likely to plunge due to the heat, he added.

If the mortality touches 30 per cent, it will have a definite impact on shrimps exports from the country in this fiscal, Dash said.

In Odisha, shrimp mortality along the coastal district of Balasore is around 50 per cent, while in Dhamra and Jagatsingpur, it is around 30 per cent and 25-30 per cent respectively. Exporters said that things may improve if it rains properly and if the second crop is bumper, but maintained that the present scenario is gloomy.

V Padmanabham, president of SEAI said that exports may plunge by 10-15 per cent due to rising temperatures and other reasons.

"Depleting water levels at the ponds due to the soaring temperatures is leading to premature mortality. The salinity level is going up, while the water level is coming down. We are waiting for the rains," said G Mohanty, former president, SEAI-Odisha region.

Farmers are also harvesting crops early from the ponds due to the soaring temperature. The shrimps are not growing up to the expecting size and may not fetch good prices in importing countries, said an expert.

At least 300 people have died of heat-related illnesses this month, including 110 in Odisha, 137 in Telangana and another 45 in Andhra Pradesh where temperatures since the start of April have been hovering around 45°C, private weather forecaster Skymet said in its website.