KOCHI: Despite heavy odds, India shipped 13,69,264 MT of seafood during 2020-21 as against the 11,49,510 MT of the previous year.
The seafood shipped during this year is worth Rs 57,586.48 crore ($ 7.76 billion).
The export improved in rupee terms by 31.71%, in US dollar terms by 30.26%, and in quantity terms by 19.12% from the previous year. In 2020-21, India exported seafood worth Rs 43,720.98 crore ($ 5.957 billion).
Frozen shrimp remained the major export item in terms of quantity, and value while USA and China turned out to be the major importers of India’s seafood.
K N Raghavan, chairman, of Kochi-based Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), said India managed to do all-time high exports in value and volume of seafood, despite the several challenges in its major export markets caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Export targets by the Department of Commerce, Government of India are also met by 99.4%, he said.
Frozen shrimp, which earned Rs 42,706.04 crore ($ 5,828.59 million), retained its position as the most significant item in the basket of seafood exports, accounting for a share of 53.18 percent in quantity and 75.11 percent of the total dollar earnings. Shrimp exports during the period increased by 31.68 percent in USD value and 23.35 percent in quantity.
The overall export of frozen shrimps during 2021-22 was pegged at 7,28,123 MT, which fetched foreign exchange worth $ 5,828.59 million. 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 shows 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, the USA accounted for 59.05%, followed by China (14.59 %), European Union (8.16 %), South East Asia (4.78 %), Japan (3.61 %), and the Middle East (3.17 %).
The USA also turned out to be the major market for Black Tiger shrimp with a share of 25.90% in terms of USD value, followed by the European Union (23.78%) and Japan (22.71%). Other items, the second largest export item, fetched Rs 3,979.99 crore (USD 540.73 million), accounting for 12.96% in quantity and 6.97 % in dollar earnings. The export of other items increased by 43.8 % cent in rupee value and 42.94 % in dollar value. Other items comprise surimi and surimi analog products by 56.55% in USD terms.
Frozen fish, the third-largest export item, fetched Rs 3471.91 crore (USD 471.45 million), accounting for 16.55 percent in quantity and 6.08 percent in dollar earnings. The export of frozen fish increased by 20.44% in quantity and 17.19 % in dollar value.
Export of frozen squid, pegged at 75,750 MT, showed a growth of 23.82% in quantity and 40.24 percent in dollar terms and earned Rs 2,806.09 crore (383.37 USD million). The export of frozen cuttlefish, pegged at 58,992 MT, showed a growth of 26.83 % in rupee value and 26.18 % in USD value and earned Rs 2062.63 crore (280.08 USD million).
Export of dried Items, pegged at 73,679 MT, showed a growth of 28.27 % in rupee value but declined 8.59 % in USD value, and earned Rs 1472.98 crore (143.46 USD millions).
Export of chilled items, which is considered a promising sector, also increased by 23.08 % in quantity terms and 53.45 % in rupee terms but declined 1.87 percent in USD terms. Export of live Items, pegged at 7,032 MT, showed a growth of 60.57% in quantity, 47.43% in rupee value, and 46.67% in USD terms.
The unit value realization of frozen shrimp, frozen cuttlefish, frozen squid, dried items, and other items has shown positive growth. As for overseas markets, the USA continued to be the major importer of Indian seafood in value and volume terms with an import worth $3371.66 million, accounting for a share of 37.56 % in terms of dollar value. Exports to the US registered a growth of 27.63 % in quantity, 36.76 % in rupee value, and 37.56 % in USD earnings. Frozen shrimp continued to be the principal item exported to the US and the exports of Vannamei shrimp showed a growth of 26.81% in quantity and 34.65% in dollar terms. Exports of black tiger shrimp to the US increased by 68.99% in quantity terms and 152.06% in USD terms.
China emerged as the second-largest seafood export destination from India in terms of quantity with an import of 2,66,989 MT worth USD 1,175.05 million, accounting for 19.50% in quantity and 15.14% in dollar terms. Exports to China market grew by 22.28% in quantity and 31.09% in rupee value and 25.12% USD value. Frozen shrimp, the major item of exports to China, had a share of 47.07% in quantity and 67.04% in dollar value while the frozen fish had a share of 32.10% in terms of quantity and 15.19% in terms of value out of the total exports to China. Frozen shrimp to China has shown positive growth by quantity and volume.
European Union continued to be the third-largest destination for Indian seafood with frozen shrimp, the major item of exports, registering an increase of 29.11% and 37.09% in quantity and