New Delhi: India shipped 13,69,264 MT of seafood worth Rs 57,586.48 crore during 2021-22, despite heavy odds. During the FY 2021-22, the export improved in rupee terms by 31.71 per cent, in USD terms by 30.26 per cent and in quantity terms by 19.12 per cent. In 2020-21, India had exported 11,49,510 MT of seafood worth Rs 43,720.98 crore (USD 5,956.93 million).
KN Raghavan, Chairman, Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), said India managed to do all time high exports export worth US$ 7.76 billion with volume of 13,69,264 MT of seafood, despite the several challenges in its major export markets caused by the Covid pandemic. Frozen shrimp remained the major export item in terms of quantity and value. Frozen shrimp, which earned Rs 42,706.04 crore (USD 5,828.59 million), accounted for a share of 53.18 per cent in quantity and 75.11 per cent of the total dollar earnings. Shrimp exports during the period increased by 31.68 per cent in USD value and 23.35 per cent in quantity.
The overall export of frozen shrimps during 2021-22 was pegged at 7,28,123 MT. USA, the largest market, imported (3,42,572 MT) of frozen shrimp, followed by China (1,25,667 MT), European Union (90,549 MT), South East Asia (44,683 MT), Japan (38,492 MT), and the Middle East (37,158 MT). Export of Frozen shrimp showed an increase in all the markets by value. The export of Vannamei (white leg) shrimp increased from 5,15,907 MT to 6,43,037 MT in 2021-22. Of the total Vannamei shrimp exports in USD value terms, USA accounted for 59.05 per cent, followed by China (14.59 pc), European Union (8.16 pc), South East Asia (4.78 pc), Japan (3.61 pc), and the Middle East (3.17 pc).
Frozen fish, the third largest export item, fetched Rs 3471.91 crore (USD 471.45 million), accounting for 16.55 per cent in quantity and 6.08 per cent in dollar earnings. The export of frozen fish increased by 20.44 pc in quantity and 17.19 pc in dollar value! Export of frozen squid, pegged at 75,750 MT, showed a growth of 23.82 pc in quantity and 40.24 per cent in dollar terms, and earned Rs 2,806.09 crore (383.37 USD millions). Export of frozen cuttlefish, pegged at 58,992 MT, showed a growth of 26.83 pc in rupee value and 26.18 pc in USD value, and earned Rs 2062.63 crore (280.08 USD millions). /BI/
