USD 6 bn worth seafood exports expected this fiscal: Official

With the country's seafood export witnessing a rise, the Union govermment as well as exporters are positive about achieving exports worth USD 6 billion in the current fiscal, a senior official said today.

"The country's seafood exports have been growing significantly over the past five years with figures of USD 5.5 billion in 2014-15. The country exported 9,45,892 MT of seafood worth USD 4.7 billion in 2015-16 and worth USD 5.78 billion in 2016-17," A Jayathilak, chairman of Marine Product Export Development Authority said.

He told this to reporters during a press conference, where he announced that "21st India International Seafood Show" would be held in Margao between January 27 and 29.
 

The event, co-hosted by MPEDA and the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), will be inaugurated by Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, he said.

"The provisional export figures during April-November 2017 have shown an increase of 18.72 per cent and 15.16 per cent in quantity and value (in USD) of seafood exports respectively, as compared to the figures during the same period in 2016," Jayathilak said.

"Given the trend, it is expected that the export earnings will cross USD 6 billion during the current fiscal. The increase in the shrimp production under aquaculture, clubbed with enhanced processing capacity and favourable market conditions are assisting the exports," he said.

Jayathilak said that India is the largest exporter of shrimps to the US and is a leading supplier of shrimps and cephalopods to the EU market, and is among the largest suppliers of frozen shrimp to Japan and Vietnam.

N Padmanabhan, president of SEAI said the Seafood Show in Goa will have 3,000 delegates from 25 different countries, including the European nations.

India's best marine products will be showcased for buyers from around the world during the event. Internationally acclaimed experts from India and abroad will address technical sessions on topics of current interest such as GST and its implications for seafood sector,food safety requirements in major markets, e-commerce,seafoodcertification and price influencing factorsin the demand and supplyof seafood, he said.

A separate session on IndiaEU Shrimp Dialogue in association with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is also a part of the Show.

On January 28, the MPEDA will sign an MoU with Coop, Switzerland, a supermarket chain with over 2,500 stores, on developing organic seafood supply systems in India to be marketed through their stores.